Thou shall not
by Sweetest Days
Summary: Celia Emerson didn't want to move. Her life had been going great until the divorce and now she was stuck in Santa Carla. Being a teenager is hard enough without adding a long distance relationship and then four sexy, but probably very dangerous guys in the mix. Better summary to come!
1. Enjoy moving to a new town!

Celia Emerson

Age: 16

Looks: thick red auburn hair to waist, hazel eyes, skinny figure

Back-story: She is the Emerson brothers' cousin on the father's side who has lived with them since she was seven years old. Her parents were killed in a car crash.

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Chapter start

She hadn't wanted to move. Of course none of them had wanted to. But Celia had one hundred percent not wanted to move and not because she wanted to stay with her uncle. The fact that he had cheated on Lucy filled her with a queasy disgust and it multiplied when she considered that his little mistress was now his new wife. The ink had barely dried on the divorce papers before he had a new marriage license.

Celia hadn't wanted to move because she had thought she was falling in love, something at sixteen she thought was very important like most of her now miles away friends. Kyle had been a guy in Michael's class and had fit all her criteria. He was sunny and golden with a sense of humor and athletic. And maybe just maybe at the bottom of her heart the fact Michael was so against it had egged her on slightly.

While she was flying over the moon and sipping the nectar of young love her family was fracturing around the edges. It had been the night of her very first kiss that she came home to the first major fight between Lucy and her uncle. The happiness had evaporated. And it hadn't come back as they all packed their things and the legal separation started up.

Kyle had been acting funny too when she couldn't get out to see him, she thought worriedly. He had said that long distance could work and had promised to come and visit in a few weeks after they had settled in. Michael had stopped trying to stop her and had instead become sullen whenever she brought Kyle up. But now with how Kyle had been acting…

I hope everything is okay, she thought sulkily.

When Michael nudged her she followed his gaze. Proudly on the back of a sign it stated that Santa Carla was the murder capital of the world. It was in graffiti red and somewhat uneven. Celia blinked at it and Michael looked thoughtful. But Sam looked put-off by it, his mouth agape before he turned around the front again.

The house was bigger than Celia remembered. She had been there once or twice in early childhood around the time she had fallen into the Emerson custody. At the time the old lady had still been alive too. There was a vague and niggling remembrance of warm moist cookies and attempted hugs that had fallen short when she scuttled away.

Now though it seemed a strange place to be. She was a little put off by its rustic feel. Being a city girl had bred her to apartments and parks, not a two story wood house with more yard space then she thought needed. And was that a stuffed moose?

There were even well carved pieces of trees into animals, the funniest being a carved bear holding a bottle.

While the others wandered to the porch Celia turned to glance out at the large field. There were three horses she saw and Nanook rushed out happily with a wild bark.

"He looks dead," she heard Michael comment. It was enough to get her heading up to join them, pausing beside Sam and dropping an arm casually on his shoulder while she too leaned over the old guy curiously.

"If he's dead can we go back to Phoenix?"

Lucy looked up at Sam sharply and Celia controlled her small smile that wanted to pop up. She caught movement from the corner of her eye and jumped into Sam who caught her around the arm. The old guy had lifted his head.

"Playing dead," he boasted. "And from what I hear doing a good job of it."

Michael and Sam were now openly laughing at her and Celia flushed a little, tucking some hair behind her ear.

Then she smiled. "Shut up."

While Michael and Sam rushed up the stairs to do bedroom claims Celia moved slower with her own luggage. She didn't have any real urge to go getting in the middle of all that mess. She picked the room across the hall from Sam's and dropped her suitcase on the bed. It was smaller than her old room but it had some great closet space and for her that was a good thing.

Sam rushed past her on the stairs down and she flattened to the wall. Rather than go by her Michael vaulted over them and chased Sam around.

"Hey guys, no running in the house!" Lucy had come in with two hats on her head and some clothes in her hand.

Sam wasn't listening though and he opened a set of doors. Celia felt her eyes go wide as she glanced at the red tinted light coming from the room that was… well…

"Talk about the chainsaw massacre," Michael joked and Sam laughed. Celia heaved a sigh and glanced away.

"Rules."

All three teenagers looked up at the old guy. He gave them all firm looks. "We got some rules here."

With his hand he beckoned them and they all wandered to the kitchen where he flung open the fridge and gestured.

"Now the second shelf is mine. That's where I keep my root beer and double thick cookies. Nobody touches the second shelf but me." He shut the door firmly despite the fact Sam was leaning on it.

There was more but Celia didn't follow them. She remained in the kitchen and gazed out the window.

There was a part of her that knew her moping was just a stubborn act at this point. Yes, she was missing her friends, her boyfriend and the pulling flow of the city. But it couldn't be so bad being where she was.

Later that night they decided to go to the boardwalk. Celia had changed from the outfit she'd been wearing and into a simple white dress with a flowing skirt that came to her thighs. Her boots were knee high doe colored suede. Before they left she grabbed the leather jacket that Kyle had given her the first time he's kissed her. It was a darker brown then her boots but they worked together and he had said that her wearing it meant she was still his.

Michael tightened his lips when he saw it but he bit his tongue. He wanted nothing more than to make Celia see just what kind of guy she had gotten involved with but he had a feeling his words wouldn't do any good.

"You wanna ride with me," he asked instead.

"Sure." Celia smiled as he started his bike and revved it. Oddly enough she would always prefer to be in the bitch seat rather than be in control herself. Celia always got a queasy feeling when she was in a car regardless of who was driving. The only time she was able to fully relax was when she was on the back of a motorcycle, which she admitted was ironic as hell.

With a practiced ease she put her hair into a messy bun high on her head and slid behind Michael in a way that would stop her skirt from flapping around and grasped him lightly around his sides. He wasn't a daredevil and would be going slower still if he was behind Lucy.

It took roughly ten minutes riding to get there. Michael stopped the bike next to Lucy and Celia hopped off. The boardwalk had seemed to transform from her brief view of it earlier when she hadn't been paying much attention.

It was jammed pack with bodies and the tones of a saxophone could be heard in the distance above the screams from people on the rides. It really was a whole new world. But at a closer look she couldn't ignore the hundreds of missing person signs hung up sometimes three on top of the other.

Lucy said that she'd meet them later at the car and she was looking for a job. Celia perked up at the words and was about to trot after her but Sam halted her by grabbing the back of her jacket. Even though she was older Sam was almost as tall as she was now so he was able to pull her off balance.

"Sam!"

He grinned at her. "You can go consign yourself to hours of boredom at some shop later. Let's check this place out first though!"

He was smiling so earnestly she found a grin pulling at her lips too and she let him drag her. It wasn't any shock they ended up near a huge concert where the sound of the sax was coming from the stage. They joined the throng of people and Celia had to admit she liked the energy.

It was unconscious for her to sway slightly to the beat. The singer was someone she had never heard and he was greased up like a pig, the sweat shining against his bronze skin when he twisted near the flames. He had a nice voice though.

Michael stiffened next to her. Celia glanced at him to ask what was wrong but he ignored her and kept staring at something. Sam noticed his look too and he followed his brother's gaze to a girl with big dark hair and what looked like gypsy styled clothes. He wrinkled his face and Celia laughed when she saw it. She glanced at the girl too and also took a vague note of the kid next to her.

Sam was at that age when he technically should have been taking a vague notice to girls. But he had shown an odd indifference to the opposite sex in favor to comic books. She didn't really see any harm in it. So long as it lasted she could keep teasing him and even when he did have a puppy love she could tease him about that. It was a win-win for her and Michael either way. But Celia could bet Lucy wasn't quite ready for her youngest to have that growth spurt yet.

Michael was still staring with unnerving determination. "A stalker is born," Celia sang under her breath to Sam and he laughed.

When Michael sent her a look she pulled on an innocent face but couldn't conceal the devilish glint in her eyes. "I'll get you for that one."

"We all have dreams." Celia shrugged.

Suddenly the girl took off and Michael grabbed onto them both to drag them. Celia wriggled out of his grasp and was glad when he didn't stop. Sam did.

"I'm gonna go find Lucy and job hunt with her," Celia said. Sam looked like he was going to protest but she smothered it with her hand. "I like money. And I bet you'll love it too if I get you a TV with a paycheck."

Sam looked unsure but then he nodded, a smile blooming. "Better hurry, Michael's on a stalker mission." Celia winked playfully and Sam rushed off.

Celia wandered back to the boardwalk. She scanned the area for her familiar aunt. Lucy was in a plain blue dress. She realized looking around that both she and her aunt weren't wearing the conventional style for this area but Celia couldn't care. She wasn't one for lots of leather with the jacket being the single real exception.

Finally she spied her aunt with her hand around a little kid. She was heading into a movie store. Celia caught up with her and Lucy looked at her with a small smile that didn't cover up the worry.

"I'm taking this little boy in here. He lost his mom."

Celia nodded and gave the little guy a smile. Four guys brushed past them and into the store. Lucy pulled the kid in a few seconds later. When she addressed the middle aged man she handed the kid over to Celia.

She glanced around and spied some candy on the counter. "Hey, come here," she murmured gently and hefted the kid into her arms so he could see it. He was a little heavier than she had thought but she dealt with it while he grabbed a sucker, wiping his eyes with the other hand.

She smiled at the clerk who was looking her over curiously. He was around Lucy's age with glasses and a nice smile. She tried to set the boy down but he clung stubbornly with a "No!" His legs wrapped around her waist and his arms clung around her neck too tightly. Celia straightened back up and tried to shift him slightly.

"Okay, okay," she muttered without any real annoyance. "But you need to loosen your arms at least."

She leaned against the counter to take some weight off of her legs. There was a small feeling of being watched and she twisted her head slightly to see the four guys. She glanced over them to note their leather appearance. Three of them had various shades of blond hair and the other had dark hair. They must have all taken notice of her when the child made a scene.

"Terry!"

Celia glanced back to the door to see a woman running in. The little boy smiled brightly and this time he let her drop him down to the ground.

"Oh thank you. I was so worried." The woman had him in a hug.

Celia and Lucy smiled. "That's great," Lucy murmured warmly.

Celia ruffled the boy's hair. "Let's not go wandering off again okay?"

"Okay," he said with a small smile and followed his mother out.

'Well done," the clerk said and held out two suckers. Lucy accepted hers after a moment.

Celia shook her head and noticed the warm look of curiosity in Max's eyes when he looked at her aunt. She covered her smile with her fingers, mind awhirl with the possibilities.

"I told you not to come in here anymore."

Celia glanced up to see the four guys moving around them. They paused when the clerk spoke to them. The one in the lead was wearing all black and she assumed vaguely he was the leader. His lips were quirked in amusement but his eyes weren't showing anything. Not even curiosity as he looked her and her aunt over.

Celia looked down when his eyes met hers after they had trailed up her body with a slow intent she recognized. Her hands tugged the hem of her jacket closer around her. Then they were leaving and she glanced up in time to see the littlest one smirking at her and Lucy before he left the store too.

"Wild kids," the clerk commented and Lucy turned to him with a smile.

"They're just young. We were that age too once," Lucy said and gave Celia a small hug. "Only they dress better."

The weird feeling didn't leave her body but she smiled, dropping her head on Lucy's shoulder a minute.

"You two have generous natures. I like that in people."

"Thank you," Celia said and pulled away from Lucy. "I'm gonna go wander."

"Oh, okay. Be careful though… and if you put in any resumes, no bars!"

Celia waved bye and stepped back out into the crowd. Unfortunately there weren't many places hiring for mid summer. She put in a few tentative resumes before admitting defeat for the night.

She ended up finding Sam who dragged her with him into a comic book store. They had never been her cup of tea but she smiled and let him lead her again. She lifted an eyebrow. There were two hippies asleep next to each other beside a TV. That couldn't have been good for business.

Sam was now talking to two kids his age. Celia listened to them insult Sam's fashion sense and then her cousin started schooling them in comic book knowledge. He was saying something about not being able to put a comic next to something to do with red kryptonite… She didn't understand a word of it and she looked outside.

There were a group of weird guys and she wondered now if any guy in this place had a style she could admire. She tilted her head though and looked them over though. With a smile she tapped the elder of the Rambo wannabe's. When he looked at her, lip curling, she pointed and he glanced at the entrance in time to see the comics being swiped.

Celia laughed a little as they took off running. She dropped her hand over Sam's shoulders. He gave her a look.

"You know pretty soon I'll be taller than you and you won't be able to do that."

"So I'll savor it now while I still can." Celia pulled the comic from him. "I thought you hated horror comics Mr. Superman."

"I do," he said as they headed out.

They found Michael still being a stalker. Celia followed the girl with her eyes rather than listen to Sam tease Michael. The gypsy girl was walking to four motorcycles. Celia stilled when she saw the riders and a flash of dull recognition ran through her. The leader was stone faced as he helped the girl on the bike, his grasp on her arm loose and indifferent.

They all saw Michael and the leader sent a smirk his way before they all revved their bikes and vanished down the streets. The girl sent Michael a look over her shoulder.

Michael looked frozen. Finally after a second Celia clapped his shoulder affectionately. "C'mon stalker boy, you need to work on your technique."

Michael grabbed her quickly and started wrestling with her, Sam laughingly adding commentary.

Maybe living in Santa Carla wasn't what she wanted but at least she had her family to tease, right?

End chapter

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_**Author note:**_ I'm a little nervous about this so a review or two would be nice. If you want to criticize that's fine since I'm confident enough to know I can handle this since I don't expect everyone to like it. I just want to know if people are reading, you know?

I'm torn between writing this as a David fiction or a Marko fiction. When I settle on Marko David comes and buts his head in… so some advice on that would be awesome. See you all next time!


	2. Worry all day

_**Author note:**_ Ah you all made me so happy! I appreciate the reviews so much. Everyone needs encouragement you know. I'll do my darndest to keep this good for all the readers!

_**Disclaimer:** _Well… I own Celia, who I kinda want to name Ronnie now, pronounced Roan-ee, but… guess I'll have to write another Lost Boy fiction after this one!... failed disclaimer.

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Chapter start

Celia Emerson, young, with a face like the luring rose, and with a promise of golden beauty everyone said her own departed mother had, was unhappy and rather dejected as she huddled in a portable lounge chair. She vaguely heard the chatter around her and kept a mild attention on Sam who was reading a comic in the ocean. She could say a thing or two about that if she was in the mood to dredge up the energy to tease.

It had been about four days since they moved. And there was no job to entertain her, most places having all the help they needed. The places that had been interested in her were the places that would have had her mostly docile and gentle aunt blistering her ears before dragging her away by her hair.

Celia, who was in a discreetly cut turquoise bikini, took off her dark glasses, shut her eyes and tried to relax in the sunlight beating down while fighting off a fresh attack of anxiety.

What was there to be so nervous about? She wondered it to herself crossly and when no answer bubbled up she bit her lip.

It was a regular day for Santa Carla, fluffy clouds scooting across the sky, the sun breaking through like a torch to shine on the beach and sparkle against the rolling water.

With no job to throw herself into and nothing really entertaining to divert herself with her thoughts were on Kyle. Beyond the call she had made to him when they arrived in Santa Carla he hadn't called and when she tried his mother said he was out.

It had been a three minute call that had left her with a sour feeling of annoyance. Kyle had made her promise between sweet kisses to phone as soon as she got to Santa Carla so he'd know she was safe. The least he could have done was hang on the phone for at least a nicely double digit length of time.

She tried to tell herself she was being silly. Kyle had said he loved her more than a handful of times and had only gotten angry at her once when she'd spoken with a friendly cashier a bit too long. His face had been grim while he'd pulled her onto his bike, he'd said cruel things to her when they'd finally stopped. But then with her apology a smile had come back to him and he had teased her.

But she couldn't shake the feeling that the smile had stopped reaching his breathtaking green eyes.

Celia opened her eyes when a shadow passed her and hovered too long to be a cloud. Sam was standing there and he was sopping wet. Some of the droplets landed on her stomach and she was aware of the trail of cool liquid as it slipped down her tanning skin.

She frowned though as he dropped his donought. "What the heck happened to you?"

"Some jerks soaked my comic!"

Celia clicked her tongue and pulled on her gold beach robe, grasping the comic and tilting it to the sunlight. The pages were soaked through to the point the pictures on the other side bled through the paper slightly. It was a batman comic and she sighed a little. Sam might have loved all his comics but he had a preference for the superman ones so it was good it wasn't one of those.

"We can try to dry the pages," she offered. "If we set it out just right in this sun for it to dry… the pages might be wrinkled after though."

"I think Mom is gonna be done soon. Let's go see okay?" Sam shook the annoyance off now that a solution was there. If only she could shake off her own concerns that easily!

She bent to strap on her sandals quickly though. A change of scenery seemed great. As it turned out Lucy was only getting off for lunch and they had to wait ten minutes. Michael showed up and teased Sam about the comic. When Celia didn't join in he jostled her shoulder. When she looked at him he looked her over and his face closed a little.

"He still hasn't called you," he asked in a totally awkward tone. It was the tone someone used when they had absolutely no clue.

The pity that mingled with an I-told-you-so gleam in his eyes annoyed her. "We're fine, Michael!"

He held his hands up while Sam looked between them uncertainly. "Okay," Michael said slowly. "But I'm telling you not to get too attached to a guy like that."

Before she could make a smart retort and Sam could ask what was going on Lucy cried out a greeting.

"Oh, my kids," she murmured and hugged them all swiftly but warmly. "You got a bit of sun didn't you? I almost didn't recognize you."

Celia smiled and if Lucy saw the strain between her niece and eldest son she ignored it.

"I was thinking we could all go grab a bite to eat," she said with her usual smile. "How does pizza sound?"

Sam was more than excited. Michael backed out of lunch and tried to hand Lucy a wad of money with a crappy excuse of having it from Christmas. Sam quickly blew that up, using the moment to tease Michael about being a garbage man.

"At least he has a job," Celia said in her older cousin's defense, dropping her arm onto Sam's head.

Lucy was looking teary eyed. "You're such a good boy." She was smiling brightly. "But you keep this. When school starts you'll need it."

School! Celia glanced away and felt her mind wander to that unpleasant idea. At least there was well over half the summer left.

After eating the greasy pizza Lucy asked if they were okay with waiting a few more hours at the boardwalk. Or if they wanted Lucy would let Celia have the keys to take Sam home so long as Celia came back to pick her up. Celia initially balked but Sam apparently wanted to get home to air out that stupid comic of his.

With a suffering sigh Celia took the keys loosely before dropping her hand back to her side. Lucy took note of the look on Celia's face and felt a pain of motherly concern. She had raised the girl like her own. Her brain filled with images of that early child covered in bandages asking with less and less insistence for her parents until finally she became silent as a grave.

Before her parents' death Lucy had never even met Celia, the child hadn't known who she was and hadn't wanted to know afterwards for a long couple of months. It had taken a lot to get her to smile back then and even longer for her to let Lucy hug her briefly.

Lucy sighed. Even though Celia was so much happier now and had accepted them as her family there were still echoes from the past wrapping around the teen.

"Hey, you know you'll be fine," Lucy murmured to her and squeezed Celia's shoulders.

Celia looked morose but she nodded, giving Lucy a kiss on the cheek before hauling Sam off to the car. Sam kept quiet on the ride home but he did grab her free hand and she felt a bud of warmth. Her family all understood her better than she did herself.

Celia was thankful to get out of the drivers seat and it showed in how she jumped out and practically hopped away.

"Geez, who went and turned you into a bunny girl?" Sam asked jokingly.

Celia gave him a superior look. "Go change before you catch a cold."

"Uh, you do realize it's like ninety degrees out here right? Or is your internal thermometer broken?"

Now her look turned smug. "No, it's working fine. But something on you might be broken in… now!"

Sam darted into the house and she followed.

Later she was woken up by Nanook slobbering on her face and Sam calling her name.

"What…?"

"It's gonna be dark soon, Mom gets off then." Sam grabbed Nanook around his collar. Celia was about to let her body relax again when Sam added slyly, "and someone's on the phone for you."

Sam laughed his merry butt off when he saw his cousin get out of bed in record time and rush down the stairs.

Celia grabbed the receiver off the table and didn't care her voice sounded breathless and too eager. Playing it cool was for people who lived driving distance from each other.

"_I see someone's been missing me,"_ Kyle said and laughed a little.

Celia sighed and let her back hit the wall. "Yeah, well you haven't called me. Another day and I would have flown back for a funeral!" the humor was a clever way of hiding her sudden rush of disappointment at his previous silence and now casual teasing.

Kyle stopped laughing. _"Now that's just bull. I've been calling but some old sounding dude kept saying you weren't there."_

"You mean Lucy's dad," she burst out. Suddenly the tension she'd been carrying melted and her heart gave a happy little thump. She laughed and it transformed her face as she brushed a hand over her face. "I can't believe it. We were call-blocked."

"_It looks like it."_

This time the conversation lasted a lot longer but they didn't really talk. It was just a bunch of statements and endearments devised to fill the other with contentment in each other.

Sam ushered her off when it was time to go back to the boardwalk. He chattered the whole way this time but she didn't mind as she settled into the afterglow of assured love.

"- I mean before we moved you were pretty much a zombie around everyone whenever someone said Kyle's name, a giggly heart covered zombie, and how weird is that? And Mike's stalking that girl, seriously at the mercy of his sex glands."

Celia glanced at Sam with some confusion. What did her comic-freak of a younger cousin know about sex glands? A laugh tried to bust out but she choked it down.

Instead she contented herself with a smile and ruffled his hair while she navigated the road carefully. "You'll understand when puppy love bites you in the tush."

While he was gagging Celia blinked. A strangled gasp wrenched from her throat and she slammed on the break, her 'mom arm' reaching so when he lurched forward it caught Sam and pushed him into the seat. Her other arm was rigid as she held the wheel, eyes searching frantically in the headlights beams.

"Are you okay," she asked after a second, turning the interior light on to look him over.

"I'm fine,' Sam said. "What the heck was that? Why'd you stop Celia?"

"You didn't see-…" Celia trailed off weakly and unbuckled her seatbelt. "Stay in the car."

The sounds of the night enveloped her as soon as she opened the door and climbed out. She went to the front of the car and was relieved when there wasn't anyone under the wheels or anything. But she had been so sure!

She glanced at Sam and swallowed, running a hand through her hair before looking around. The road had been clear a second before she blinked. Could anything have gotten in front of the car that quickly, in just a blink of an eye?

She couldn't shake the feeling though and so she started calling out if someone was there. Sam didn't get what was going on and thought his cousin had cracked.

Celia heard a faint rustling and she turned quickly. Her heart gave a painful lurch as she assumed a million worse case scenarios only to blink and falter.

It was… a small boy….

Celia ignored the faint protest in her head that he hadn't been there two seconds ago and ran up to him, dropping to her knees and grabbing his arms with frantic worry.

Her questions were swift and falling over each other. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? What are you doing out here, where are your parents, did the car hit you?"

"I'm okay," the boy said softly.

Celia searched his face, knowing she had seen it before somewhere. She shoved it aside impatiently. "Are you sure? Why were you in the road like that? It's dangerous!"

He mumbled something and she thought she heard 'home' and something about a star.

She had her hand pressed to her chest in a feeble gesture to calm her beating heart that was trying to barrel out of her chest. She took three deep breaths to halt the adrenaline before she rose and shook her hands.

"Well we were all lucky. This could have been tragic." The thought of her being the cause of someone losing a child, family, was appalling. "What's your name?"

"Laddie," he said.

She held out her hand and smiled for him, he looked so forlorn, like a puppy left in the house watching its owners leave for the day from the window. "I'm Celia. I'm glad I didn't run you over." It was a soft piece of humor kids mostly responded to, bluntness.

"I'm glad you didn't too," he giggled a little.

Celia dropped a hand onto his shoulder to lead him to the car. "Well," she said with new briskness, feeling suddenly like something was out of place, "let's get to the boardwalk. Is that where your family is?"

"My brothers," he said.

"Then we'll find them." Celia nodded to herself, her brows furrowed as she opened the back door for him and waited for him to climb in. This was wrong somehow, something was off in this situation and she kept batting her concerns aside with increasing determination and annoyance.

"I couldn't find them." It was said with total assurance, like if he couldn't have found them then it was a failed thing.

Celia became more brisk and suddenly irritated at the situation. The boy was roughly ten minutes driving time from the boardwalk, half an hour or, maybe more, considering his short legs, walking time from it. What kind of irresponsible brothers' would leave a little boy to fend for his self, especially with all the reports and ever increasing numbers of missing persons piling up like trash? Another niggling sensation pressed into her and again she refused to follow the thought to completion.

"Then you can come home with us after we get my aunt Lucy and tomorrow we'll do something."

Laddie looked unconvinced but he climbed in and Celia got back in the car, made introductions, and started the car, this time with the Brights on.

Finding a spot was an annoyance since everyone had already arrived for the nightly routine and taken them all up. Celia wanted to thump her head against the wheel but one near accident was enough for her so she resisted. Now that the adrenaline had faded she was feeling weak and felt a curiously dizzy lethargy, like her limbs and her very bones were liquidating.

_Stupid adrenaline rush_, she thought with mild amusement at herself. _This is why people always die in movies. They get the adrenaline rush and then they lose it and poof, there goes the advantage._

Hopefully a paper bag didn't decide to pick a fight because she would lose.

A spot was finally claimed and they all got out. Celia motioned and Laddie came to the front of the car and stared at her. Celia sighed and wondered how to handle this. Lucy was probably tired so she didn't want to stir her aunt with this. But she couldn't just strand her… oh, well.

"Okay, let's go see if Lucy is ready. Laddie, after we get my aunt and let her in on this we'll look for your brothers, okay? But let me know if you see them on the way there."

Laddie nodded. Before they left the car Celia glanced at the crowds. A little boy like Laddie could get knocked away easily. So she paused and drew him forward, wrapping an arm around him to keep him near her body. He looked up at her in curious surprise and she brushed some hair out of his face.

"I don't want you getting lost again."

Laddie looked thoughtful and hesitant but after a second he scooted closer to her, absorbing her warmth and smelling her spiced vanilla lotion. At times she dropped a little back to move him more in front of her when a particularly big group of people came by. But she never let him get swept up in the crowds and he didn't have to fight to stay by her and Sam's side, both of them keeping him between them and talking lightly to him as though they'd known him for a long time. He felt safe.

Celia led them to Max's video store and Sam rushed in first. Lucy looked up from her conversation with Max, Celia raised a brow while deciding to lightly grill her aunt later, and her aunt smiled, curiously looking at the little boy still being hugged to Celia's front, his head leaning back against her stomach.

Celia introduced them all and said hello to Max before explaining. Max was looking at Laddie with an unreadable expression but she filed it away for further dissection later.

Lucy handed Laddie a sucker and oozed a motherly sympathy not many women could pull out for kids who weren't their own. It was what made Lucy so different and what had thawed Celia years and years ago. Speaking of Lucy seemed to have a faint issue around her eyes, something had unsteadied her. Celia asked.

Lucy tried to laugh it off. "Oh just these boys with motorcycles… playing around," Lucy laughed once and smiled. "They were circling me until Max showed up and I got a little weak about it, it's nothing. Max offered to take me for a coffee and-"

"But this is perfect!" Celia smiled. "You can go calm your nerves, have some stimulating conversation, while I try to find Laddie's brothers."

"But what about Sam and Michael," Lucy asked, picking at a piece of her dress.

"I'll be cool mom," Sam piped up. "I can go hang at the comic book store for a while. And Michael's got his bike somewhere."

Lucy glanced between them. Laddie was looking between Celia and Max, he brought his tiny hand up to clutch her arm around him and she tightened it in response to let him know she was still paying attention to him too.

"Oh, you know, I don't know you guys," Lucy said after a moment and Celia piped up.

"Hey you deserve a life too you know."

Finally Lucy smiled. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Celia and Sam said together.

The smile got wider. "Okay then. I'll see you both soon, alright? Bye-bye Laddie," Lucy said and waved a little.

Max stopped looking at Laddie and gave them a smile. "I promise to have her back in decent time."

"Nice seeing you again," Celia said and left the store, Sam taking off in the opposite direction.

Half an hour later Celia was feeling more and more like they were looking for the needle in a haystack. The boardwalk was getting more and more crowded and with a small grimace she looked at her watch to see how long they'd been at it.

"You may just have to have a sleep over with me little man… Laddie?"

Celia paused and followed his gaze to where someone was selling cotton candy. She tilted her head. "You want one?"

Laddie jumped but under her patience he eventually nodded a little guiltily. Star never really thought to buy him things and the guys weren't really with him at the boardwalk. Dwayne would bring him back candy every now and then; the others had given him a few toys to entertain himself with and books.

He followed Celia and pointed to the flavor he wanted. She also ordered a thing of lemonade, asking if Laddie wanted a drink too. He shook his head, eyes on the cotton candy being made. Celia smiled and reached into the back pocket of her shorts to feel for some money. When she came up empty she shrugged and reached into her jacket to pull out her wallet.

She had changed into a pair of shorts and a simple white tank top that hugged her curves and the ever present brown leather jacket.

She smiled at the attendant as he handed back her change and then gave her the cotton candy. She gave it to Laddie and he thanked her quietly.

"Let's take a break. There are some benches over there."

She led him over and sat on the top, crossing her legs. Laddie climbed up with her and began eating his candy with a voracious appetite that made her arch a brow. Kids would be kids, she supposed, and more to the point, boys would be boys. Sam still ate like a glutton and him and Michael weren't above squabbling over who got to eat the last bite of food. Leftovers were non-existent when one lived with the Emerson brothers.

"Is that any good," Laddie asked and she was brought from her pleasant thoughts. She glanced at her lemonade.

"Yeah, I love it. Haven't you ever had any?" Laddie shook his head and she smiled. "Well, here. Let's see if you like it now."

She handed him her cup and he tilted it back, eyeing it suspiciously like it was going to grow a face and eat his tongue. The imagery made her swallow a laugh. Laddie tilted it more so just barely any liquid was around the top before he stuck his tongue out carefully to taste. He pulled the cup down to his lap the minute he did.

"Well," she asked.

"It's sweet," he murmured.

"Have as much as you like."

"Thanks."

She took a sip of it too while he ate his cotton candy. It was when he was mostly done that she got a queer feeling. She felt suddenly chilly. A shiver ran down her spine and she pulled her jacket around her while examining the area around them. They weren't too far from the crowds but the benches were somewhat off to the side and shadowed. Laddie seemed fine, happily biting off chunks of the sugared treat. She felt agitated though and it couldn't be shaken.

Why was there now a lump in her throat, a constriction she couldn't swallow, overflowing with the sense of suffocation?

"Laddie."

The voice penetrated her as though from a far off distance, like the bad connection during a phone call. It startled her back to the present and shattered her thoughts, making the cup of lemonade fall from her suddenly nerveless hand.

Laddie had no such episode. He grinned widely and jumped off the bench, practically vaulted off, and ran to the voice gladly. Celia twisted her body so she was facing the same direction but didn't move beyond that.

The leader, the one who spoke, clapped a hand on the boys shoulder as he scuttled past and to the dark haired one, who put his arm around the boy while never taking his eyes off her. None of them did.

End chapter

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_**Author note:**_ I had more I was going to write but then I read the word count and backed off. I also put more dialogue in this one. What'cha think?

Well if you've the time leave a review or two. I appreciate them so much! And I'll see you all next time.


	3. Lose your temper with Max, David!

_**Author note:** _Hello, hello all! I am more than happy to report this chapter cause… okay, I got nothing. Hope you like!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own Celia and this story but make no profit out of it.

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Chapter start

She knew them. Or at least Celia had seen them around before. They were the same bikers she had seen her first night here. Funny that she had forgotten it until this second. But then again there hadn't been any reason to remember them. Still though she didn't know how she could have forgotten those icy blue eyes that gave nothing. They just weren't regular eyes.

How were they related to Laddie? Celia gave them a careful look over and wondered if maybe they were all in foster care or something. None of them looked enough like the other to be called blood relatives.

Laddie suddenly looked worried and he grabbed the guy holding him and gave him a small pleading look when the eyes shifted to him. The dark haired one sighed but didn't relax his stance.

Celia felt very uncomfortable under the stares and there was a faint pressure against her brain like the small beginnings of a headache. A fresh bout of annoyance flooded her veins but she swallowed it. She hopped off the bench and turned her attention to Laddie.

"So these are your brothers'?"

Laddie nodded and she gave him a smile. "Well then I'm glad you found them." Never mind that they'd actually found him. "See you later Laddie."

She was very eager to get the heck out of the vicinity. There was an irrational need to run home and hide under the covers and never come out again. Which was just silly but Celia wasn't in the mood to argue with her bodies urge. She had taken no more than three steps away when his cold voice rang out again.

"Hold it."

Celia wanted to ignore him. Instead she found her foot hovering in mid air before she tapped it lightly back to the ground, spinning her body to face them all again. Her arms folded in an unconsciously defensive gesture and the leader's smirk seemed to grow ten times when he saw it.

"What?" Celia could have cursed herself. Her voice sounded a lot like she had run a marathon, weak and wilted. It didn't have any jab to it like she wanted, it had no impatience.

The leader was standing so still too. It was unnerving in a way.

"What were you doing with Laddie?" The inflection in his voice didn't change at all and yet... there was an accusation there, like Celia had done something very wrong by being near the little boy.

She had been trying to be polite. But the idea she was in the wrong for helping a little lost boy struck her wrong. Especially considering how they were all acting towards Laddie. There had been no cries of relief, nothing to say they had been worried about him at all. Minus the dark haired one holding him loosely there was nothing.

That pressure was against her skull again. The leader tilted his head. "Why don't you say what you really want to say?"

One of them started laughing, his hand tapping his white pants. The curly haired one was smiling and covering his mouth with his fist. The dark haired one still wore a look of indifference.

Celia found she wanted nothing more than to smack the smirk right off the leader's face. She had never been a violent person. In fact she had always been the opposite. Rather than fight and carry on she would rather have smiled and retreated.

"What was I doing with him," she repeated. She crossed her arms. "Maybe a better question is what were you all doing without him? He's your little brother right?"

"That's right sweetie-pie," the one with white pants said. It made the curly haired one laugh a little.

Celia found her voice suddenly icy. "Then why don't you act like it? He was in the middle of nowhere! If I hadn't of stopped he would either be dead or lost. But of course you don't care right? No, you're too busy acting like a bunch of fake rocker wannabes and trying to look all cool and mysterious. You guys are pathetic!"

That seemed to amuse them all somehow and so did her anger. It just brushed off of them. The leader took steps forward and she found herself taking steps back. Then she realized what she was doing and stopped. Celia did her best to glare but the closer he got the more she felt sick. Her hand pressed to her belly when she recognized the queasy sensation and the need to run.

When he was in front of her he paused. "You still haven't answered my question."

"Because you don't deserve an answer," she snapped.

"O~oh, feisty," white pants commented with a laugh.

"David," Laddie said in a small but determined voice.

The leader turned his head. The minute his eyes were off her the pressure vanished and so did the instinctive need to flee with her tail tucked between her legs. Celia swallowed. He was just too intimidating and she couldn't believe this guy was related to sweet and quiet Laddie.

"You shouldn't leave your brother alone," she said in a calmer voice. "He's too small to be by himself."

David ignored her and kept looking at Laddie. When he turned back his smirk was gone and the pressure returned ten times worse, like something was ripping through her skull without a care for the fact she felt every second of it. Her hand went up to press against it and she winced.

She found herself reliving the moment when she slammed on the car breaks, her fear that she had hit someone. Her relief and confusion when she found a little boy. It was all tinged with worry on her part for the boy. As soon as they reached Max's video store the pressure in her brain stopped and the pain faded to a dull throb. She had an actual headache now. Wasn't that terrific?

Then another set of fingers were sifting through her hair to touch her tender head, making her hiss out a breath and wrench back. David laughed coldly, somehow making even that seem mocking like his smirk.

"Don't touch me you creep," Celia said. "Laddie doesn't deserve to be stuck with you insensitive jerks as family."

David smirked again. "Be careful what you say. You never know when you'll step over a line and hurt one of our feelings." That got a laugh from all of the boys.

"Whatever."

"Celia!"

She turned to the voice. Michael was pushing through the crowd towards her. He was followed by the gypsy girl he'd been stalking. But when she saw David and the others she stopped, a look of horror crossing her features before they schooled into calm.

"Hey, mom's looking for you," Michael said as he reached her, his arm dropping over hers in a kind of brotherly concern. "You don't look so good. Are you okay?"

Celia turned and pressed her head against his shoulder. "I need to get home."

Michael pulled her tighter. "Okay, just a sec. I'll take you alright?" She nodded. "Wha did you guys do to her?" his voice was laced with venom.

Celia shook her head. "They didn't do anything. I just have a headache." It was more like a migraine actually. Star shot her a worried look before looking at David again.

David smirked. "We were just collecting our little brother. Star you'd better have a real good reason for leaving him to wander alone."

Celia jerked. The four boys hadn't been the ones to lose Laddie. And she had still yelled at them. A feeling of remorse pierced her but she bat it away. They deserved it for leaving him with the girl in the first place.

Curl haired guy was looking at her and there was a softer pressure against her head. He laughed a little.

David nodded at Michael and the two said their goodbyes. Then he looked at her. "We'll be seeing you again," he told her. "Try not to get so worked up next time." the boys all laughed and Celia was too tired to care it was at her. "Star, let's go."

The girl looked hesitant as she looked at Michael. But when her name was said again she followed David and the other boys. She was handed Laddie who glanced at Celia before they all vanished into the crowd.

Michael led her back to the video store and didn't complain that he was practically carrying her. Her skull was pounding so badly though. He was worried by the way she clutched her head. Celia had never really gotten headaches. He wanted to ask what she had been doing with those guys, guys Star had warned him to stay away from.

Lucy was a fluttering worry when they reached her. She quickly handed Sam some money to go buy something with caffeine in it. Max looked at Celia a moment before ushering her into his office where it was quieter.

"I have some medicine, oh, here it is." Max brandished a bottle proudly only to see his charge had slumped to the desk and was tightly keeping her eyes closed. He knew how she felt. It was never without some pain on the human's part that a vampire read their minds. One of his boys or maybe all of them had been very careless when they'd torn through hers.

Max made his voice as gentle and soft as he could. She had been a great help in getting Lucy out for coffee this night after all. And he would need this girl again. "Here, just take these pills." Celia lifted her head and took the tablets from him.

She stared down at them through watering eyes, the headache was getting worse. When he handed her a glass of water she popped them and drank as much of it was she could before her stomach revolted and she retched. Max rubbed her shoulder in a consoling manner.

"There." Max said when she had finished. He moved to drop a gentle palm on the back of her head where the least pressure was. "Why don't you sleep now?"

Celia didn't think it possible. But after a moment her eyes closed peacefully.

Michael got her into the back of Lucy's car when Sam showed back up with the now useless drink. When they got home Michael carried her up the stairs and dropped her on the bed, Lucy covering her up. They all wandered naturally to the kitchen.

"I wonder what happened," Lucy wondered aloud. "Celia never gets headaches. And certainly she never got such bad ones."

"Maybe the heat just got to her," Sam offered lamely.

Their Grandpa was drinking his root beer and stuffing his cookies in his mouth. He offered the bag around and Sam took a few. He sighed.

"There are some bad elements in Santa Carla all right."

Lucy looked at her dad. He had said that before, lots of time. But he had never explained his words and it didn't seem to connect to the current worry on her brain so she shrugged it off.

Max heard his front door being opened later that night. There were only about three hours until sunrise. Thorn growled low in his throat when the visitor came into the living room. Max kept reading his paper calmly. One had to be stern with children after all and thus he couldn't give his first son immediate attention.

David sat on the couch with pure insolence. His arm draped across the back of it while his other held a lit cigarette he took occasional puffs from. His long legs were stretched in front of him. He didn't bother looking around the room since he knew it so well. He could have told someone where everything was.

He could have also warned them not to touch because Max was a very particular man about his more pricy knick-knacks. He never did though. It was amusing watching Max blow up knowing full well his 'father' would never seriously injure him.

Thorn just kept on growling and David resisted the urge to growl back. He hated that damned mutt. He didn't care it was a hound of hell. He'd much rather he became a hound of dead meat. Judging from the growling he bet Thorn thought the same way in regards to him.

Finally Max folded his paper neatly and set it on the coffee table beside his chair. He pet Thorn's head and the dog waved its tail at the attention.

"That's enough Thorn. Go lie down."

The mutt didn't go far. It curled up at Max's feet, its doggy eyes staring unwaveringly at David. Oh, one day he would rip-

"Will you leave Thorn alone?" Max sighed. "You two are horrible together."

David's lip curled a little but he did stop glaring at the dog. Max took off his glasses to be cleaned.

"Now then," he said while he polished them with his shirt, "would you mind telling me exactly how a human girl got hold of Laddie?"

David puffed out a thing of smoke. The whole thing annoyed him. "Star left him alone at the carousal to be with that human pet of hers."

"And he wandered off?"

"He was trying to get back to the cave."

Max replaced his glasses. David didn't get why he even bothered to wear them except as a way to complete his geeky middle aged man look. "You really should teach him the way home David."

David didn't comment. He hadn't wanted Laddie any more than he had wanted Star. Star had been an accident; a meal David had brought in who had gotten to the wine before they could stop her. Laddie had been Max's solution to the situation.

The little boy had been supposed to bind Star to them all as a coven but so far that hadn't worked. The girl had a small mothering instinct but not enough to keep her happy in the cave. Now they had two half vampires who were being very, very stubborn on every level. David hadn't brought his dinner home since.

Max knew all of this through the sire bond.

David moved to ash his cigarette in a tray. Max had realized he couldn't squash David's habit so he had thoughtfully put some ash trays around the house in rooms David frequented. It was thoughtful to his furniture and floor at the least since David would gladly drop his ash and butts anywhere.

"And so Star has once again refused to listen to her elder brother," Max murmured. "At the least this could prove beneficial for once."

David felt the stirring of an annoying idea forming in Max's brain. He waited with outward patience but inside he was completely fed up.

"What did you think of the human who kept Laddie safe from all the unsavory elements of our home," Max asked suddenly with a touch of amusement in his voice.

David tilted his head back to rest on the couch and blew another puff of smoke in the air. "Just a scrawny female," he muttered. He hadn't really thought of her at all.

The first time he had seen her he had scanned her body more to be mocking than from interest. She was pretty but he liked his women more rounded in life and less soft.

The soft and pretty ones were more Marko's taste but he liked brunettes over redheads. Dwayne might have thought more about her if he wasn't in the middle of seducing some little school girl. And Paul… he would take anything and everything so long as it was female and had a pulse so who knew what he had thought.

Max smiled slightly. He didn't see just another pretty girl when he looked at Celia. He saw her kindness, surely a byproduct of being raised by Lucy. He saw that with time the pretty teenager, if allowed, would grow into a very beautiful woman. But he wasn't interested in letting her grow into a woman at the moment. He was more interested in the beautiful monster he could make her, the happy and seductive little daughter he could have. No, the daughter he **_would_** have once he seduced Lucy and his boys followed his orders.

"I don't wish Star to use Michael for her turning anymore."

David cocked a brow. Max chuckled. "I want you to give him the wine, my son."

The vampire crushed his cigarette and dropped it into the tray. He scoffed. "What good would that do? We'd have three Halflings to deal with then and if he's as stubborn as the other two are-"

"Four."

"What?"

"I also want you to turn little Celia."

Celia? David cast around in his brain. He didn't know any Celia. And he didn't want to either unless he could get a use out of her. He didn't want another Star flitting about defying him at every turn.

"She's the girl Laddie was with tonight. She also happens to be Michael's cousin and Lucy's dear and beloved niece. Of course, we'll turn Sam as well but it's only fair he should age a few more years."

His son gave him a look of annoyance. "And how do you expect us to lure her in? She has good instincts. The whole time she was near us her body stayed in a flight mode."

Max waved his hand dismissively. "Yes I'm aware. You'll have to suppress your own instincts for a while until she gets used to them. But I took care of her first impression of you and the boys tonight. Really I had no idea my boys could be so rude to a lady. I suppose I've been lax in raising you all."

David barely kept the snarling grimace of annoyance and hatred at Max for this stupid plan off his face. Max had always had this weird thing for family. David didn't understand why Max fixated on the idea. His sire had never shared that with him.

It was beyond David though to defy his maker in what he wanted. It was a complicated thing to be sired to a guy you hated when the blood that made you demanded that you be submissive. Submission wasn't in David's blood.

When he left to go que the boys' in on the new plan he was silently fuming but he was also thinking. Big hulking Michael could be brought over so long as David used Star just right. As for the girl… little Celia Emerson…

He thought about his first impressions of her. Yes, he would think of something good to make his sire's wish come true. The Emerson clan had better watch out.

Celia slept the rest of the night away and even a good portion of the day. When she woke up she had only a hazy memory of Laddie and an even hazier memory of the boys.

End chapter

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_**Author note:**_ Okay, I'm nervous about how I wrote David and the boys, but especially David. A review or two would be nice, even if it's criticism since I can take something away from that too.


	4. escape Paul!

_**Author note:**_ I just want to thank everyone who reviews, favs, or alerts this story. You guys are what keeps it rolling!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own Celia and this story but make no profit.

* * *

Chapter start

A job was a job. That thought echoed in her brain as she teetered on heels. It was night at the boardwalk now and the end of her shift as soon as her replacement got there. Celia had been happy as a clam when she got the call to work at some 'hip' fast food joint.

The call had been a week ago and she'd been working hard ever since. Until tonight her shifts had never crossed into the evening hours. She had been grateful for that. She hadn't really wanted to go to the boardwalk lately. It was an unexplained fancy of hers but she figured she deserved to go with her whims.

Sam had thought she was insane. Then again he had started looking at her oddly so she guessed anything she did would be dissected now. He couldn't believe that she barely remembered Laddie or the massive headache. Celia had laughed when he told her. She didn't get headaches that badly.

But it wasn't like she had totally forgotten. She could vaguely recall the fear and relief Laddie had put her through. She even somewhat remembered that she could have sworn that she had seen him somewhere before. Everything else was blurred like she was under water. The memories were all liquid and rolling, filled with dark patches.

Celia sighed as she collected a customers order. Her replacement was late. Well over half an hour late. One of her coworkers looked at her sympathetically. His name was Connor and he was definitely one of the perks of working at the Shake Shack. He was funny, too pretty to be a boy, and had the best advice. The best thing though was when he looked her over he hadn't hit on her. Instead he had loved on her hair and given her tips on how to survive the killer heels the female waitresses had to wear.

"I'm about to keel over," she whispered to him when he passed her to grab another plastic shake glass.

"Just breathe dolly. Carrie'll be here. She's never this late."

"Tell that to my feet," Celia muttered, smiling slightly to let Connor know she wasn't seriously mad.

She grabbed the tray and skirted around him. "Order up!" She waited patiently until the customer came to get the shakes.

Celia set the tray down and her eyes widened.

"Celia!"

Laddie was standing there with a grin on his face. The gypsy girl, what was her name… held him loosely around the shoulders. Her eyes were on Celia, a hint of interest in them that was shadowed by concern, something Celia couldn't understand.

"I need to talk to you," she stated firmly.

Her name was being called. Celia hesitated a moment. The girl was now holding the tray of shakes, her eyes earnest, willing Celia to listen to her. It was something she couldn't ignore.

"Okay." Celia pulled the tray out of the girl's hands and handed her and Laddie the shakes. "But I have to wait for my replacement."

"She won't be coming in."

Celia looked at her, holding the tray against her chest. "How would you know that?"

Instead of answering the girl looked down at Laddie who was looking guilty. "How much longer will you have to wait?"

Celia shrugged as she heard her name being yelled again. "Just tell me quick okay?"

The gypsy girl looked at her and then at the door. Star knew David and the others would be finished feeding soon and then one of them would come here. She didn't have time now to explain everything. Maybe if she had gotten there as soon as the sun went down she could have dragged Celia away… but she hadn't known where the girl worked and it had cost her valuable time.

So she looked deep into the girl's long-lashed hazel eyes, too long, she thought vaguely, and tried to instill as much as she could in the locked gaze. She tried to convey a sense of danger, of a need for caution, and maybe even a need to run far away.

"You need to stay away from David and the boys. They're dangerous."

"Celia!"

Connor grabbed her arm and tugged her back. "Hey, we need to get a move on. The boss is calling another girl in to cover Carrie. She'll have some serious explaining to do when she gets back tomorrow." Connor rolled his eyes as he dragged her to the back. Celia looked back to look at the gypsy girl but both she and Laddie had vanished as though they never were.

Twenty minutes later Connor told her she could go home. The replacement girl came running in and took the tray from a grateful Celia. Celia untied her hair as she punched out then wandered back to the back. Connor looked up from making some tacos. He nodded his head to the prep table.

"There you go. I put in some extra peanut butter for you."

Celia smiled as she picked up the shake and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you sometimes."

It was kind of funny. Without the impossible six inch heels the job made her wear she wouldn't even come to his nose. But she would much rather be in flats and reach his chest then be his height in heels that made her feet blister.

She gave him a hug and wandered out to drink her shake, wondering about what the gypsy girl had meant. Celia frowned as she chewed on the straw, trying to bring up her memory of David. He was too blurry. And the boys must have been Laddie's brothers. She only knew David's name. And the girl's was, oh… Star, that was it!

So the gypsy Michael was stalking or dating or whatever was Laddie's sister then? It really was a small world.

She had just turned back to the store to go change when her shake was snatched from her hand. On instinct she followed it, spinning around to look for it. The guy was smiling at her, laughing a little. His chains clinked together as he moved almost restlessly.

A spike of recollection shot through her when she took note of his white pants and the somewhat see-through black shirt under the spilt jacket. He was there in that foggy memory laughing like he was doing now.

He was now looking her over in what was a very deliberate way, almost like a caress. It brought a flush to her cheeks as she realized what she was wearing. The Shake shack's uniform was meant to attract both males and females so both uniforms were borderline indecent. The overall mini-dress was clingy at the top and flowing at the bottom, revealing just as much as it concealed with a simple movement. The heels were annoyingly high and forced her to hold her legs straight and angled when she walked or stood. The male uniform was just as outrageous but somehow she didn't care about that right now.

"Well," he said, bouncing his head a little to an unknown beat. "How about we go somewhere and get to know each other?"

Celia grimaced and thought mournfully about the shake. "No."

She turned to leave but he was there in front of her making her stumble slightly and the heel twisted under her. His hand shot out and he yanked her back against his chest. His hand dipped down dangerously low on her back and it made her freeze.

"Hey there," he mocked her.

Celia wrenched away and he laughed again. It annoyed her. "Okay, who are you?"

He took a sip of the shake and licked his lips. "Mmm, peanut butter. You got good taste."

"Just what I always wanted to hear," she muttered sarcastically. "I don't have time for this."

When she tried to leave again he casually held onto her wrist and she found she couldn't budge it even an inch. He looked perfectly languid as she tugged, planting her heels and wrenching. He just kept on drinking her shake.

Finally Celia gave up. She sent him her best glare. "What do you want?"

"Just to take you out sweetie-pie," he grinned, showing off all his teeth.

Celia rolled her eyes. "Alright… one, you're too busy manhandling me to even tell me your name. And two, I have a boyfriend. So I'm not interested in 'getting to know you'."

He laughed a little. "You're feisty. I like that. But that's no way to make friends."

"Thanks so much for the advice."

"Okay, okay, chill out. I'm Paul."

Celia huffed in annoyance but she did stop struggling. His grip loosened lightly and snaked down to be holding her hand. He tugged her forward and she didn't have a choice but to follow his casual lead. It was either that or resist and end up on her butt. Or worse, back in his arms.

He dropped his arm around her shoulders and started walking her off. "I told you I don't want to go out with you!" She was annoyed now and a little nervous.

Paul dropped the shake. "Chill out," he said again. "We aren't going out, we're hanging out."

"I have to change out of my uniform." She tried to move back to the shop but he halted her again.

"I like the way this looks on you."

"I bet you do."

Paul smirked but he turned her around. He pushed her towards the store. "Go get your dreads on. I'll be waiting!"

Celia didn't hesitate. She darted back in the store, moving better in the heels than she ever had. Connor looked up at her as she scuttled around the counter and to the backroom. With a small look of worry he tapped another coworker's shoulder to get her to take over his station and followed after Celia.

She was stripping down, the uniform a pool at her ankles. She was kicking off the heels hurriedly. When she heard the door shut again she jumped and looked back with a half concern it might have been Paul to perv on her. She relaxed though when she saw Connor.

He watched her pull her jeans on and asked what the hurry was. "I'm going out the back."

He cocked a brow as he handed her a brush for her hair. "Why?"

She waved the brush in dismissal before yanking it through the tangled hair. "Ah, it's nothing big. I just don't want to deal with this guy."

"One of those biker guys, right?"

Celia paused. "How'd you know?"

Connor looked smug. "Oh girlfriend, everybody knows them. They come around every night and do some damage to some poor girls heart. It's like a right of passage for some of the little girlies, to be checked out by one of them."

Celia scoffed and handed him back his brush. "And how well do you know them personally?"

He smiled and tilted his head. "Well enough to stay away. I like my heart unbroken as a rule."

She smiled as she tugged her shirt on over her head. That was something she liked about Connor. He was blunt where it counted and sassy as a Siamese cat.

"Well I tend to agree with you about them," she said and tugged some of his long chestnut curls. "And besides I have my Kyle."

"I still have to meet and judge," Connor said and nudged her with his hip.

"Hopefully he'll come soon." Celia found herself longing to see Kyle. He was talking about coming up for a weekend or more in a couple of weeks.

Connor smiled blandly, secretly thinking about how this was going to blow up in Celia's face. Long distance rarely worked and with what she had said about this guy he doubted it was in him to be faithful to a girl like Celia.

Still he was hopeful for her sake that he was wrong.

Celia opened the back door and glanced out cautiously. When she didn't see him she stepped out and let the heavy door shut.

"Hey there!"

She jumped and spun. Paul leaned on the brick wall laughing at her. He clapped his hands once before coming towards her. Instead of being annoyed with her obvious attempt to avoid him he again dropped a hand over her shoulder and moved her along.

"You hungry," he asked curiously. "I'm starved. Let's go get something!"

Celia let him tug her around and to a pizza joint. She shrugged when he asked what kind of pizza she wanted so he ended up ordering extra pepperoni and sausage along with Canadian bacon. She grimaced at the thought but she also swallowed a laugh. Trust a guy to order a monster pizza with nothing but meat and cheese on it.

Of course Paul had charm. He was engaging and flirted shamelessly and it was impossible to get too irritated at him. She guessed he wasn't too horrible and she wondered why Star had warned her about him. Sure, he was probably just trying to get in her pants but it wasn't like she'd let that happen.

When the pizza came she knew it wouldn't ever happen even if she was single. Paul was a bit of a pig. He licked sauce off his lips and chewed with his mouth open whenever he decided to smile. It was taking all of her willpower not to laugh and make him feel badly.

When the pizza was eaten he decided to drag her to the beach. He plopped on the sand and beat the spot next to him until she sat. She couldn't help it. She was smiling and laughing with him now. When he fired up a joint she took it without thinking.

She wasn't a pothead. With her it was maybe a once in a while thing, something she only did when she was in a group setting. She had never bought it and had never felt an urge to have it before.

Paul was just thrilled to have someone to smoke with that he couldn't eat or fuck. Well… David wouldn't care if he ate the human beside him and probably expected him to lay the girl. But Paul was looking at her in a sisterly light, or trying to, since he knew that was the goal David was prodding them to slowly. When David was reluctant it showed.

It would be a challenge though to see how much of his demon he could control and how close he could get to her before he got his way.

It didn't take long to have her laughing hysterically just like all his other victims. She really was a lightweight and it made him laugh too.

"So how do you like Santa Carla," he asked casually after he shoved her playfully to the sandy beach and leaned over her.

Celia was about to answer him, really she was. Instead she laughed and reached up. Her fingers grazed his lips and teeth.

"What," he asked.

"They're so big," she said and giggled.

"You are so baked," Paul said and nipped her fingers.

"Ow."

"I barely touched you!"

"No, no," she said. "I'm on a rock."

"And you just now noticed? Pretty sad," he mocked.

"Oh shush." Celia smacked his chest to get him to shift from his towering position above her.

Paul moved but not the way she expected. Instead of shifting off of her he grasped her arms and rolled so now she was above him. Celia clung to him as the sudden fast movement caused her already swimming head to spin more.

"Wow," she said.

"I know." Paul was tugging her down. Okay, she wasn't a sister yet, right? And self-control was never a strong suit of his. "I'm an awesome guy, right?"

His lips were an inch from hers when she realized his intention even through the drug fog. She was about to turn her head away when she caught a whiff of his scent. It smelled nice enough but it was too strong for her nose.

And so she sneezed. Paul had misread the intake of breath to mean she was ready and willing so he couldn't retreat fast enough. He jerked back with a cry and Celia rolled away, laughing again.

"I-I'm sorry!" She tried to say it clearly.

Paul sat up and wiped his face before dropping his arms on his bent knees. He grinned widely. "It's cool, it's cool. Wanna try again?" He waggled his brows suggestively, raking her with a glance.

Celia shook her head. "I have a boyfriend."

Paul frowned a little. Maybe if he and the boys killed her boyfriend he could work his persuasive magic. It would be easy. It wasn't like they hadn't removed a few annoying hitches to Max's goal already.

Of course David had moved languidly on that too, choosing instead to give more direct orders to Star in regards to Michael. As far as their accidental sister thought she was still supposed to be devouring Michael soon.

Celia had sobered up with the thought of Kyle. That sneeze had been a timely blast from common sense. Even if she wasn't so dedicated to him though she knew Paul would only ever be a friend. He ate like a pig, he flirted remorselessly, and Connor had warned her. She could easily believe it now after spending some time with him.

She hadn't wanted to hang with him at all and now look at her. She was high and enjoying his company.

Paul was a gentleman after some light complaining when she said she needed to get home. He even took her rejection of him in stride and with her eyes clouded by the high she missed the animalistic spasm of thwarted passion cross his features.

She couldn't find Michael anywhere though. Paul knew that he could use that to his advantage. He knew that Michael was off with Star, or more likely stalking her since she was hesitant to even go near him. The gypsy really didn't want to eat the kid.

Instead though he recognized with a flicker of annoyance the moment was shattered and the lethargy of a dimming high was going over his prey. Now would have normally been the time he devoured her. It was the best feeling to sink his fangs into something languid and docile and then to feel the fight kick up when they realized what was happening.

When Paul offered her a ride home she shrugged. She just didn't feel like looking for Michael anymore. He escorted her to his bike and helped her on. With a vague and wandering attention she took note of the three other bikes there with his. His three little buddies bikes.

She grinned at the one with tassels on the bars and one had something like a pole on the back of it. It was the sleek one that drew her eyes the most though as she tiredly dropped her head against Paul's back between his shoulder blades. It had a cross of some sort on the back to serve as the taillight and it was then she realized that these bikes were different from Michael's. His was shop-bought. These were all custom-made.

Paul knew the girl was falling asleep or dangerously close to it so he drove slower than usual. It was a sign he had relegated her to the role of sister in his mind, and therefore he was treating her gently, mindful of the fragile state of her body for now. It would be easier to play around with her when she had turned.

Celia was met at the front porch by Sam and Grandpa. Sam rushed to tease her. He looked at Paul and she made introductions.

Paul was… fidgety. Sam looked at him and wondered how Celia got mixed up with him. His grandpa was looking him over too. When Paul dropped an arm around Celia and jostled her he suddenly sat up.

"You two, get on in the house." He ambled towards the door.

Sam looked at the old man as Celia tilted her head back on Paul's shoulder. He was cool against her. Paul looked at the old man with a laugh and smile, his brows arching as he dug gently through the old guys mind. Well, well, well. The things you learned every night.

He planted a kiss against Celia's head. "I'll be seeing you, girlie."

"See ya," Celia murmured. Later up in her room Sam didn't stop grilling her until she threw a pillow in his face.

David leaned back on his bike and smoked while he watched the boardwalk. Marko had returned from his feeding so they were waiting for Dwayne, still courting his little school girl, and for Paul. David wasn't sure he wanted to hear any details from either front. Star was out somewhere hopefully sinking her teeth in Michael.

It wasn't like he had anything vested in either of the humans Max wanted to use to further bind Lucy to him. David half hoped Star would eat Michael just to spare him the headache of another half vampire to deal with. And if Paul ate Celia by mistake so much the better. He was content with his current family with the boys. None of them wanted a mother, which is what Lucy would essentially be if Max got his way. David didn't want any more 'siblings' either. At the very least not until Star and Laddie had both settled into the fold neatly.

There had always been a reason to turn one of them. David had wanted Dwayne after meeting the Native American in his human life and admiring his silent strength, so different from his own. Paul had been a mouthy little runaway with big balls that made David and Dwayne laugh. Marko had suffered years of abuse at the hands of everyone who should have been caring for him and had stirred a need to protect him in all the boys. It was the two current half vampires David hadn't been vested in turning.

Star was the delicious meal turned unwilling relative on everyone's part but Max's. Laddie was still a child who had a fondness for sneaking off with their things. David would admit though Laddie didn't bother him nearly as much as Star did. Once the child had aged then he would be less like an annoying brother and easier to cope with. And he was amusing when he managed to catch David in the right mood.

Star though simply annoyed David. He didn't know if it was the irritation of thwarted hunger or the fact she acted like she was somehow superior to them all, like they were the vilest creation she'd ever had to suffer. He didn't enjoy her company at all. And if she had a little lover in Michael to add to his irritation for eternity then he could bet he'd stake them himself one day.

It was just a bad idea all around. Somehow Max's obsession to create the perfect family of bloodsuckers was going to bite them all in the ass.

David sensed Paul before he heard the bike. He revved into place next to Marko and the two exchanged punches and shoves before the rocker of their group calmed down enough to look at David.

He drummed his hands against his handlebars. He shook his head. "Sorry man. She's got some stashed boyfriend somewhere."

"So why don't you go and kill him," David asked in boredom.

Marko laughed a little. Paul shoved him and Marko laughed even harder. He could be very insane.

"I can do that, easy," Paul said as he kept on drumming. "But her feeling for me is definitely friends only."

David didn't roll his eyes like he was tempted to do. Instead he drew a long and final drag from his cigarette before he threw it violently to the ground.

"Okay then," he drawled, "Marko."

His younger curly haired brother looked over at him. He tilted his head. And he smiled largely.

End chapter

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_**Author note:** _I know I didn't intend for Paul to be an interest and he really isn't. David's just being sneaky and throwing his brothers at her for now. Let me know if you see something horribly OOC about the boys so I can improve them.

Reviews are oxygen. Without them stories can't breathe…

See you all next time!


	5. escape without injury

_**New story summary:**_ He was going to end her life. There was just no doubt, he was a lost boy after all. Moving to a new town is never easy. It's harder when it's in murder capital and the murderers decide you're the new toy of the moment.

_**Author note:**_ Sorry, sorry sorry! I promise next time I'm this late on an update I'll post two chapters, okay? I won't this time because I'm still editing chapter six through ten for mistakes. Anyway what do you guys think of the new summary? If you like I'll put that one up officially.

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own Celia and the obvious OC's. Everything else probably belongs to Warner Brothers. Regardless I make no profit from this.

* * *

Chapter start

Carrie never did show back up to work. And from what Connor said she had left her apartment too. All her things were still there but she wasn't. So it wasn't a shock when Celia saw the girl's picture on a missing poster.

What was annoying was she had been transferred to the mid-shift because of it. For the next pay period Celia was scheduled ten to seven. And that made it very easy for Marko to find her.

Celia hadn't known what to think when she had been confronted with the curly haired youth. He had shown up the very next night after Paul left her to chase tail, grinning and being just as persuasive as Paul was. Three nights later and he was still following her, being very dedicated despite the fact she said she had a boyfriend and they could only be friends.

Celia was changing out of her uniform and wondering just what was wrong with her that she couldn't say no to these guys. It wasn't like she had wanted to hang out with any of them. Sure Marko and Paul were fun but she was very aware that friendship wasn't what was on either of their minds. Maybe it was all Paul was angling for now but Marko sure wasn't.

He always found an excuse to touch her, either to tug her hair playfully or even hug her exuberantly, something she found herself growing more and more accepting and willing with.

When she was done changing she went to collect her snack from Connor. Today it was a large fry, her favorite greasy food. Marko was there again when she stepped out of the Shake Shack. He had been biting his nail with an almost thoughtful look until he saw her. A grin lit up his boyish face and he waggled his fingers at her playfully.

Celia expected a rush of annoyance to hit her. Whether it was him or Paul they both kept her out later than she really liked. She felt like she was turning into a night person when before all this she had been a strict early riser.

When it didn't come she realized with a swallow she was happy to see him. She didn't even mind when he came beside her and swiped some of her fries. At least he wasn't a total pig about eating like Paul.

Marko was grinning at her. His smile was one of those mocking ones like everything was amusing to him, like he knew more than everyone around him and thought it was hilarious. Celia felt a dull sense of bemused acceptance about it.

"What are you grinning about," she asked. She always asked.

He shrugged. "It's just a nice night."

And that was what he always said. A part of her wished that there'd be a storm just to see if he'd keep saying it.

"Let's go ride something," he invited.

Before she could agree or not he grabbed her around the waist and hefted her off the ground. Celia shrieked before she laughed. Marko was laughing with her as he easily walked even though he had her weight against him.

Celia didn't know how the small teen was so strong. She supposed it was one of life's little mysteries. It wasn't like she minded that he could heft her like a sack of potatoes. In fact it was kind of nice in a weird way.

As she munched on a fry she decided not to worry about it. Star had to have been wrong about them. Maybe it was some sort of sibling rivalry between them, her wanting to cause trouble for the boys.

Granted the other two still hadn't come near her so maybe it was them the gypsy girl had really meant in her warning. For the past three days she had seen mostly Marko and Paul, Paul always with a different girl and in a hurry to get somewhere with them.

Marko's nose twitched when she dangled a fry in front of it. Obligingly he parted his lips so she could push it into his mouth. He took great care to lightly nip her fingertips. Celia smacked his open mouth with her palm in retaliation so he darted his tongue out to swipe at it.

She withdrew and wriggled so he would drop her to the ground again. There was a smile on her face as she wiped her hand on his jacket. "You and Paul I swear! You both bite my hand and you slobber on me. Is there something I need to know here?"

"We like biting," Marko said with his usual smile.

"Obviously," she murmured,

He stole more of her fries and she ate the last few. Marko humored her and threw the empty container into a garbage bin. They were near to the shopping district. She glanced over to see the comic book store. She wondered if Sam was in there with his little Froggy friends. Now those two she could tell were blood brothers.

Edgar and Allen Frog had to be the weirdest set she had ever met. They definitely had Sam cracking up. They were both so serious she had an amusing thought if they ever smiled their faces would crack. They weren't the kind of guys Sam used to hang out with but Celia figured they had to be pretty harmless.

She stopped walking and Marko let her. He tilted his head curiously when she told him to come with her. She decided to see if Sam was there. If he was then that meant Lucy was wandering around somewhere, maybe with Max.

The air inside the store as she neared the front counter was smoky like always. The two sleeping hippies were there except now the woman wasn't sleeping. She was twirling a quarter on the counter top in a slow and purposeful way. Celia couldn't help but giggle. Marko was looking around and she knew then he had probably never set foot in the place before.

"My cousin is a comic geek," she told him.

He nodded. "Good. I couldn't picture you here at all."

Celia smiled. "Normally you're right. I just need to see if he and Lucy are still at the boardwalk."

"Why? I can give you a ride home!"

"It's fine," she said.

Marko grabbed her hand and pouted, faking a hurt expression. "You let Paul take you home!"

"I was higher than a kite!"

"I don't have any weed on me," Marko groused. "I know! I'll get you drunk!"

Marko sensed the abrupt change. She was still eyeing him and her hands were lax in his but there was a small withdrawal on her part. He was about to push to figure it out, genuinely curious, when a kid came up and thwacked her in the back of a head with a magazine.

Celia turned. "Sam? What was that for?"

The kid had blond-brown hair and his sense of fashion was somewhat insulting to the artsy inclined Marko. What did the kid do, skip out on common sense when it came to matching things up?

During his scan he took a careful note of the comic he was holding. _Destroy all vampires_. A smile blossomed over his face and he bit his nails.

Sam was about to hit Celia again, they were playing or arguing, he couldn't tell. It was kind of like his and Paul's friendship. Celia grabbed the comic and yanked it from his hand. When she read the cover she grimaced.

"What happened to my cute little cousin who hated horror comics? I do miss him." Celia sighed as she flicked through the pages. She stopped at a page where a woman was being drained. Marko grinned wider.

"What a stupid cliché thing," she said. "How much did you pay for it?"

"I didn't pay for it actually."

"You stole it? My little villain," Celia faked a gush.

"Hey, girl. You shouldn't mock what you don't understand."

The two kids from before were there now in front of them, behind Sam. They had serious expressions on their faces.

Sam hurried to introduce them. "You remember my new friends. The Frog brothers."

"Who could forget such serious little faces?" Celia gave them a little wave and they responded with grunts. She introduced Marko and he shook their hands, looking more and more amused.

"So you guys believe in vampires," he asked casually.

Edgar nodded. "We believe that Santa Carla is a haven for the undead." He gestured to Allen who grabbed two more comic books. He handed one to them both. Marko burst out laughing and Celia barely stopped herself from doing the same. They were idiots. But they sounded so sincere and they were Sam's friends so…

"You guys are a little old to believe in this aren't you," she asked with a bemused expression. "I mean come on. The reality is everyone dies. Nobody gets eternal youth and nobody sits there and thinks your neck is a tasty shake."

Allen glared at her. "You're ignorance is just denial of reality."

"Uh-huh. And let's say vampires _are_ real. Let's also assume that there really is a tooth fairy and every December twenty-fourth a fat man magically squeezes through your chimney to give you a present. I guess we'll all have to start asking him for wooden crosses, right?"

Marko bit his nails while she went on. He was having the time of his undead life. Oh, this would give David and the boys such a kick. Two little would-be hunters in their own backyard!

And listening to Celia denounce them was priceless. He'd have to throw this in her face in a few years, after she'd acclimated to being one of her fairytales.

Edgar looked less than amused. "It's people's inability to see the truth that makes them such easy prey. And that's what we've sworn to stop. With all the missing posters around how can you not believe something is going on? They never find the bodies either. They just vanish."

They never found bodies because the boys did such a great job of roasting their victims on the good old campfire. Or burying them, whichever one they had available to them. Dwayne on occasion would do some weird thing and fill the dead bodies with rocks and take them to the middle of the ocean where he'd let them sink. Marko always teased him about it, telling him there were better ways to alleviate boredom. But they all had their little hobbies.

Celia was scoffing. "I'd believe a human trafficking scheme over vampires coming out to play."

His amusement was starting to lag. He pulled Celia close and dropped a kiss on the pulse in her neck, making her jump.

"Marko!"

"What? You never know. Maybe vampires are real," he challenged softly.

"Oh, please. In that case please make it short and quick."

"My pleasure," he said playfully, lightly biting the skin over the pulse and rolling it between his teeth. It wasn't enough to break skin but it was enough to give the Frog brothers a bad feeling about him. It was more than enough to satisfy his need to push his limits.

Celia had never known that was one of her 'spots'. She found an unusual feeling washing up her body and her breath hitched. Marko kept on, licking the spot with his tongue before nibbling it again. She had been aware of it for awhile. Every time she got his or Paul's saliva on her the skin would tingle pleasantly. It was getting to be too sensitive though since he was licking the same spot repeatedly. She squirmed until he stopped with a laugh.

Sam looked confused. "Hey who is this guy again? Why are you biting on my cousin, you perv?"

"It's okay Sam. He's just playing." Celia smiled. She was beyond used to Marko's odd displays.

"No it isn't okay! Michael's got a big enough problem with you dating Kyle. He'd flip if you started going with one of the guys that everyone at the boardwalk talks about!"

Celia rolled her eyes and Marko grinned, pleased with himself again. "Nobody is going out with anyone here! Geez Sam, you used to be cute. Now you're turning into a little Michael junior. It's creepy."

Marko decided now would be a good time to press her new softness to him and her irritation with her family. "So I am taking you home, right?"

Sam looked very concerned. Celia nodded. "Yeah, you are. But no drinking okay?" She waited until Marko nodded, holding his hands up in surrender, before she looked at Sam. "Let Lucy know will you?"

"Yeah, sure." Sam reached out and tugged on her sleeve. "Hey, you know I'm just worried right?"

"I know." Celia agreed lightly, giving him a small hug. "Don't let this stupid comic give you nightmares."

They were about to leave when Edgar halted her. "Our number is on the back. You better hope you and your family never need to call us."

Celia shared an amused look with Marko. "Oh believe me… I will never, ever call you. At least not until I find you a really nice therapist. You guys need one."

When they left both the Frog brothers turned to look at Sam. He glanced at the comic in his hands and back to their eyes. Edgar was smiling. Sam flushed. "Hey, I do not get nightmares from comic books alright?!"

Marko chuckled as he led her from the comic book store. "That was nice and cold."

Celia was running her tongue across her lips. "It's just ridiculous. They're going to end up staking some poor sap. And it had really better not be Sam."

"Would you care if they staked me," he asked with a grin, aware that he would be number one on the little hunters' lists.

Celia looked alarmed before she settled down again, giving him a look. "Of course I would care." Marko hugged her tighter to him.

"Well I don't think you have anything to worry about." His smile turned feral. Before she could see it though it evaporated to be replaced by the usual boyish grin. "Let's go ride some of the rides now!"

At the end of the day she had to admit that the boardwalk would get old pretty quickly. The rides never changed, the food always tasted as crapy as the day before. It was the company that had her still finding some amusement out of it.

When Marko had dragged her through all the more dangerous rides he took her and bought some fast dinner. He squirted so much ketchup and mustard on the poor hotdogs, because he was playing around, that they were swimming in it between the buns.

Celia tried to eat it carefully but even then it still oozed out onto her skin. She smiled when he pointed it out to her. Before she could swipe it away he leaned in and sent his tongue along her cheek, leaving a thin hint of his tingling saliva. He laughed and wiped that away with his thumb.

"I can get it myself Marko." She laughed.

"Where would the fun in that be," he retorted.

"So true," she said mockingly. "I'd hate to be the cause of you not having fun so please, have at it."

Marko grinned dangerously now. "With your permission then."

He tried to hold her head steady for a kiss. Celia was tempted. He was just so boyish it was hard to resist. At the last second though an image of Kyle flashed through her brain and she held up her hot dog like a warding weapon. Marko had his eyes closed so he ended up slamming into it. He opened his eyes to see Celia flushing in embarrassment.

A thin explosion of anger took him. It was the price of being a vampire. They were quicker to piss off then a little human and as the second youngest of the group, he was only in his forties, it was still a little hard for him to control sometimes. Lucky for her though he did or else he'd have some serious explaining to do to David and Max. And she would just be another victim.

Marko bit into her hotdog to alleviate some of his frustration. It wasn't his fault he was imagining it was her neck or arm or anywhere else he could sink his teeth in to feed. She didn't protest so he leaned back on his arms against the bench.

"So this guy must be pretty great," he said abruptly. "Is he from around here?"

Celia dropped her hands onto the table and poked at some words carved on it. "No, he's back in Phoenix."

"Phoenix? As in, where you used to live?" Marko frowned.

Celia nodded. "Then what the hell," he said fiercely. "That guy isn't here. I am."

"It isn't that simple, Marko!"

"Yes it is," he insisted.

"Look I love Kyle. Having a bit more distance between us doesn't change that at all."

Marko realized attacking her wouldn't work. He changed tactics. "Aren't you lonely though?"

Celia shrugged as she felt a sting. It seemed he had hit the nail on the head. Her teeth came out to bite her lip. Maybe that was it. Maybe her attraction to Marko wasn't him, but her own need to be near someone.

No, that was ridiculous. At the end of the day even if she thought Marko was adorably endearing it didn't go beyond that. Maybe if she hadn't been so dedicated to Kyle she would have tried. Even then though she doubted that Marko was the one she wanted to spend her life with.

He was fun and uncomplicated. He liked danger and adventure, he liked pushing limits. She didn't mind his touching her really, not because it gave her thrills because it didn't normally. She didn't mind because he was a friend and it was just how he was. She had seen him treat Paul similar before.

Marko was getting a more sullen look on his face. A small pressure was against her head but it was more of a caress then anything to be worried about. After a second he shook himself and the pressure vanished along with his look. He grinned.

"Okay, for now. Let's go back to having fun!"

They rode a few more rides before she wanted to sit again. She had thought the mood of the night would be shattered by that awkward moment but Marko was persevering and soon had her shrieking with laughter again.

Marko said he had to go do something. He sat her down on a bench away from the crowds, sheltered so they couldn't be seen easily, and told her not to move. He badgered her until she promised and he searched her face until he was satisfied. He couldn't put off feeding any more and he was feeling hungry. It wouldn't do to show Celia his vampiric nature yet. Not until David said so.

Celia took the coke he gave her and drank it deeply while he vanished into the crowd. Just once she wished he'd let her buy her own food and drinks. It would make a nice change and she'd feel like less of a mooch.

But she guessed he had his male pride or whatever. Whenever she offered he would just grin and ignore her.

Celia sat there for about ten minutes when it happened. She heard the footsteps and turned, thinking it was Marko. It wasn't him.

It was a group of five guys and two girls. They all had leers on their faces. She felt repulsed even though they would probably be considered good looking by most. It was uncomfortable feeling all their stares and she found herself hoping Marko would get back soon. But what good would he be against five muscled guys, she asked bleakly.

"So you're the girl who's been hanging with little Dave's crew."

Dave? Celia frowned and looked away. Maybe if she didn't talk to them they'd leave her the heck alone.

No such luck. One of the girls came over and yanked hard on her hair. "My guy is talking to you!"

Celia stood up and shoved her. "What the hell? Maybe you don't know this since you have none, but hair pulling is a bitch move!"

The girl snorted. "I don't get it. What do they see in this girl? She doesn't look too appealing to me."

One of the guys though had a spark of interest at Celia's show of temper. "Shows how much you know Ruby. Sometimes..." His eyes raked Celia and she felt dirty almost. When Marko and Paul stared at her it didn't feel so disgusting. It was hard to believe that they ogled her respectfully compared to this guy. "Sometimes it's good to have nice small ones."

The guy glanced at his boss who shrugged indifferently to whatever his eyes were conveying. "Maybe if we take this one our guys will stop vanishing. It'll teach them a lesson to stay off our part of town at least."

The guy got an even bigger leer on his face when he turned back. Celia still didn't feel much of a sense of danger, just that something was wrong. She decided to leave. She didn't know what they were talking about but she knew it had something to do with Marko and his brothers. Let them handle it.

She turned to go only to find the girl too close to her, mockingly grinning. Celia would have left the other way but then that other guy was there too. She could even smell the stale alcohol on his breath, making her wince with disgust.

He didn't back up and even shifted forward clumsily when she tried to ease around him. Now she was just plain pissed and she threw her hands in the air, dropping the can of coke, and shoved him back.

"Would you get out of my face," she snapped irritably.

Before she could move away he grabbed her arm. When her hand came up to attack him he grabbed it too, crunching the delicate hand bones roughly together. He said something and she responded by spitting in his eye when he leaned closer. The girl next to them hooted with laughter.

"Looks like Steven can't control one little girl!" She and the others all started laughing.

Steven flushed red and he crushed Celia to him all the tighter, turning her so her back was to him and she couldn't kick him. His other hand was digging around while she writhed and wriggled uselessly until he could plunge it into her neckline, making her scream when he grabbed brutishly at the swelling flesh there. In response he shoved her forward. The angle was awkward and her head slammed into the bench, slicing her forehead open.

She was dazed by it. In all her sixteen years the worst thing to ever happen to her was skinning her knee and dropping a glass ash tray on her foot and cutting it pretty badly. She still had the scar. Even the wreck hadn't done too much damage to her and Lucy had always said how lucky she had been that day. It seemed luck had abandoned her now.

When he grabbed at her hips in an attempt to get her jeans off she turned though and kicked at him.

"I think the lady wants you to leave."

"Buzz off! This isn't any of your business," her drunken attacker snapped back.

The new guy didn't leave though. His hand shot out and grabbed the drunk attacking her around the neck. They all looked at him then. The drunken guy looked at him blearily while the girl scuttled away. When he registered who it was he dropped Celia. Celia stopped breathing too but for a different reason as a dull flash of recognition ran through her.

"I said leave. You have five seconds to get out of our sight."

He let the guy wrench from his grasp, a cold smile on his face. It was like they had all been doused by a sudden rain. The leader blustered a little, shaking his jacket and glancing at her. He grabbed the drunken guy and dragged him back. Then they left with muttered curses and a lot of speed.

Celia glanced at her savior who was still staring after the group with amusement in his eyes. She felt something pull her up until she was on the bench and rolling her over to be on her back. She saw Paul looking at her with a tilt to his head.

"You okay," Marko asked from above her.

"I'm fine," she whispered.

The four guys exchanged looks. Her body was shaking and the blood pouring from her wound was gushing, simply mouth wateringly flowing.

David stopped staring after the guys with plans of revenge already in his mind. He walked up to Celia and catalogued her injuries. Her shirt had been torn a little so now they could all see the upper swell of her right breast and the beginning of dark fingerprint bruises there. That was going to hurt terribly.

Head wounds were David's favorite. They bled so much more and so much quicker than anything else. Luckily he had just glutted himself with two humans so she was safe from him and the others, who had also just fed.

"Who were those guys?" was what Celia asked but it wasn't so clear. Her words were jumbled and halting as she lost more blood. If not for their vampiric hearing they wouldn't have even been able to tell she was speaking.

"Surf Nazi's," Marko told her with irritation in his voice. "I didn't think they'd bug you."

It was obvious Marko and Paul was already planning to gut them all. David doubted they'd feed from the Surf Nazi's either. When it was for revenge they would simply torture the victim to death, letting the blood be wasted. It was where Marko shined especially. His angelic body held a truly evil devil inside.

"None of us did," Dwayne said quietly with a look at David.

Celia finally lost consciousness. David dipped a leather covered finger into the blood that had pooled onto the bench and flicked his tongue out. Just blood. Nothing spectacular about it. It was thick with youth and health and he could tell she ate a lot of chocolate from the taste. The others all took a taste after him, unable to resist.

"What should we do with her?" Dwayne asked calmly. He knew David's feelings better than the other two. He was asking if he wanted her to be saved or should they find a nice place to dump the body.

David was tempted. If she died now Max couldn't blame them, not really. It wasn't their faults that she had run afoul of that group. Okay, so it technically was since it had been because she'd been around Paul and Marko lately. But then it was really Max's fault for ordering them to lure her in.

It was on the tip of his tongue for them to dispose of her. He looked at her with his impassive eyes. Marko and Paul were looking at him solemnly; Dwayne looked at him with indifference to either order.

Her breathing was slowing and her heart was sluggish now as it pumped blood vainly to her head only for it to leak out. She looked horrible with half her face covered in blood.

"Seal it up."

They all looked at him in surprise. He gave them a glare. "Hurry it up. Any more blood loss and she'll either need a hospital or she'll die."

Marko glanced down at her, his fangs already half out. He nudged Paul. "You better do it. I'm already hungry for her."

Paul shook his head. "Yeah, not me. I like the ones that taste like chocolate too much to try. Unless you want to drain her and stuff her in the cave. She'd be a rocking decoration."

David bristled as they looked at him. No way was he doing it. "Dwayne."

His oldest friend nodded and nudged Paul out of his way. He bent closer to Celia and smiled a little. He'd never even met her really and here he was, saving her life. David could throw the funniest curveballs sometimes.

He sniffed a little to ascertain the exact location of the deep cut that was soaked in blood. When he did he lapped at it slowly from the bottom all the way to the top to see how long it was. He swallowed the blood.

At least her blood wasn't one of the repulsive kinds. He hated it when the blood tasted like nothing but meat. He wasn't a chocolate fan but it wasn't like he was doing this for a sweet.

He set up a rhythm until the cut had sealed itself and clotted under his saliva. Then he set about cleaning her face off. When he was done Marko wiped off the excess saliva for him. Now all there was left was for her body to circulate the thinned blood through her system sluggishly. She probably wouldn't wake up until more was reproduced.

With that knowledge David tsked. "Marko, Paul, you two stay with her. If she hasn't woken up an hour before the sun sets bring her to the cave. Don't let Star or Laddie see. The last thing we need is Star interfering again."

"You got it!" Paul laughed and shoved Marko a little.

Dwayne followed David back to the cave. When he stepped in Star and Laddie looked up. David fought the sneer on his face. "Go somewhere else."

They scurried to do his bidding, sensing the annoyance simmering. What the hell was he thinking? Better yet, what the hell was he doing?

Dwayne hopped onto the fountain and ran his hand through the seashell chimes hanging there. David sat in his wheelchair and smoked. He picked up a novel he'd been reading and glared at the cover.

"So," Dwayne began, "should I bother asking what happened tonight?"

David sent him a glare. "No, you shouldn't."

"I'm asking anyway."

"You had better fucking back off Dwayne. I'm not in the mood to resist ripping your vocal cords out."

Dwayne looked him over. Then he shrugged. "You'll have to talk about it eventually."

David growled. An hour before sunrise Marko came in carrying Celia. Paul was hopping behind him. Marko shrugged apologetically.

"Where should we put her," he asked. Since Star they hadn't let any female stay the night or even enter the cave. This was new and therefore exciting. It was like they were holding her prisoner or something.

"We can't afford her waking up during the day and wandering out," Dwayne murmured.

David nodded. "Take her to one of the rooms that lock. Make it one that's pretty deep. One where if she wakes up before us and starts shrieking Star and Laddie won't be able to hear her." Laddie wouldn't go chasing screams but Star would in a second just to piss him off.

Marko rushed off and Paul started playing with his guitar. Dwayne settled into his armchair. David let the silence blanket him. He enjoyed the peace and quiet right before they all slept.

But again when he thought of the redhead likely to wake them up in the middle of the day with her screams he had to wonder. What the hell was he doing?

End chapter

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_**Author note:**_ A bit of a long one! As usual the more you review the more I know you like! And sadly the faster I update. (I know. I'm a sensitive person I guess) Let me know if you see anything blatantly OOC and I'll work it out. I hope you enjoyed. See you all next time!

Hmm, as for pairings. I know you guys are probably wondering what is running through my admittedly turbulent mind on that. All I can say is there are scenes geared for them both as a love interest but unless there is like a huge shift in how well Celia fits with Marko then this will be a MarkoXOC. David you see has another interesting connection to Celia that leads him. However, good news David fans! I am starting another Lost boy fiction and will post it up after I reach chapter six of Thou shall not. In addition, it will be a DavidxOC.

Would you all like a preview of it? I wouldn't mind dropping the first two or three paragraphs onto an author note. It'll be in first person, something I haven't done since… well in a long time!


	6. leave without permission

_**Author note:**_ Sadly I didn't finish editing my new DavidXOC so it won't be making an appearence this round. I hope to have it up in a few days though, if not later today. Hope you enjoy the read!

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own my OC's. But no profit is made from this.

* * *

Chapter start

It was like trying to swim through a fog. Her head was tingling, mostly from the upper left corner. It was familiar but she couldn't say where she had felt it before. It was just too familiar.

All she could see was white. She was floating between wakefulness and a void with kaleidoscope colors. Bit by bit she dragged her conscious to be aware of the world.

The air wasn't clean. It was somehow distorted and somewhat stale. Her arm was under something unmoving and was falling asleep. Her head was cushioned against something that was either a very firm pillow or not a pillow at all. Her other arm was thrown over something, her fingers tangled in something soft. Her leg was crossed over a slender object too. This had to be wrong.

She opened her eyes groggily. It took a minute of slow waiting before her eyes cleared enough to focus. It took another minute to process what she saw. Her body tensed all of its own accord. At the same time she thought vaguely about the person forming a human pretzel with her.

On instinct, the hand not being used as his cushion ripped from his hair and flew down her body. A sigh of relief blew past her lips. "Panties," she muttered.

Marko looked way too innocent when he was asleep and that was saying something. He was always laughing or grinning when he was awake, innocent and impish. However, his face was unbearably soft now. It was like those cherubic angels in church. There wasn't any stubble on him either, making her wonder just how old he really was.

Celia returned her fingers to bury in his curls. They were soft and springy. She gently let them slide from her fingers to trace the smoothness of his jaw. No stubble whatsoever.

It was when she was seriously staring at his lips like a perverted old woman that she came fully awake and realized what she was doing. She blushed. What was she thinking?

She didn't think she had ever leapt from a bed so fast in her life. She forced herself to look around. The room would have been medium sized if not for the heavy furniture in it. The window was shattered. It was eerie to look out and see no sky. She walked over to it and put her hand against it.

Fingers pulled off a chunk. Dirt, she realized. Confusion washed over Celia. What was she doing here? Why was Marko of all people next to her?

She flew to the door and tried to open it. The knob turned but it wouldn't budge beyond that even when she pulled instead of pushed. She grunted softly and planted her feet. Shoving, pushing, jangling the knob, even slapping her hands on the old wood in anger didn't do a damned bit of good. By the end she was practically sobbing with frustration.

Her head hit the wood and immediately recoiled. Pain lanced her and she touched at it gingerly with her fingers. There was a long, uneven ridge there, a scratch of some kind. Feeling a memory surfacing sluggishly she glanced around until she saw a small floor mirror.

It was cracked into a million spider fractures but there was one corner still useable. She bent down, twisting her head to see. There was a long wound on her forehead, from the top left corner to her brow almost. It was ragged and the skin around it was red.

Celia remembered now. But she still didn't know how the hell she came to be wherever the hell here was!

With new determination she crawled back to her spot on the bed. It was one of those old affairs with see through tattered curtains hanging off the hooks around it. The pillows on it were overkill but at least they and the sheets seemed to be overall clean. At least they weren't dusty or covered in dirt or something else equally nauseating.

She poked Marko's cheek, calling his name gently. She then shook him, hesitant because he had removed that patched jacket of his and was only in the tantalizing white shirt that showed off enough skin to make her swallow. When he still didn't wake up she wondered if she should smack him.

She settled for yelling his name directly in his ear. Her voice was hoarse by the time he softly sighed and shifted an inch. His eyes barely opened.

"Shut up," he grumbled.

"Shut up," she repeated, new anger shining through her previous concerns. "Why don't you make me?" it was an angry challenge she didn't think about.

Marko heard it through the heavy draw of sleep. The sun was still high in the sky. There was maybe two or three hours until he would be able to move without slugging.

"Listen," he yawned, "I'm too tired for this. We'll talk… later."

"We'll talk now." Celia said firmly, snapping her fingers in his face until he opened his eyes a little more. "Where are we?"

"Safe."

"That tells me jack!"

"… You're where I live. It was the closest place after you got attacked." Marko lied easily. It was near enough to first nature for him.

"I need to get home."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not taking you and the others won't want to either. Just go back to sleep."

Celia had enough of the condescending uncaring attitude he sported. "Then I'll walk. Just open this damned door!"

Marko was getting annoyed. It was never a good thing to wake up a vampire in daylight. It was even worse to ignore their words. He was too tired to drop his fangs into her and drain her thankfully. He really didn't want to do that.

One thing Marko would never want to do was disappoint David. He had seen the way David looked at her the night before. It had been startling to see something flicker in his leader and best friend's eyes beyond bored tolerance for a human. Even if Marko wasn't sure what it meant he'd figure it out and when he did… then he'd know how to handle Celia.

Before Celia could climb off the bed again he gathered his strength. He reared up, capturing her around the waist. Her squeak of surprise stirred his vampiric nature but he stamped it down as he threw her under him and cuddled.

"What are you doing," she yelled.

Marko buried his head against the back of her neck. He could smell the blood and licked his lips at the mouthwatering smell. He crooned against her happily, content at the warmth of her body and how easy subduing her really was. "Look just… wait a bit. When I wake up I'll take you wherever, okay?"

Celia was stiff as a board in his arms. Marko was almost asleep again but temptation was there and he figured it wouldn't hurt. It might even help.

Celia flinched when he sent his tongue rasping along her neck. Marko knew vampiric saliva was like an aphrodisiac. It made the skin very sensitive and made the victim more placid. He wouldn't be feeding on her of course. Not unless David gave him permission.

"Marko, stop it."

"But you like it," he said with some tired playfulness poking through. He rolled her over so she was facing him before he went to the front of her throat. He blinked sleepily at the bruises he could see on the swell of breast. Without much thought, he nuzzled his cheek there before licking it. Another protest fell from her lips, her hands coming up to push at his shoulders. "You're getting warm."

"That isn't the point," she muttered.

"It's all the point I need," he commented before he stopped biting and licking. He let sleep roll over him again, now cushioned on her chest like a suckling infant.

Celia lay awake for a long time after that. The skin he had messed with was still tingling horribly. There were feelings she had never had before even with Kyle assaulting her now too. It just wasn't fair.

She was very conscious of where his head was, his breath faintly ghosting over the flesh, goose bumps rising all along it. With a small sigh she threw caution to the wind and moved one hand up to stroke back through his curls. She fell asleep holding a handful of them.

Marko re-awoke a few minutes after the sun went down. He felt the pain of hunger chewing his insides and nuzzled closer to Celia off of instinct. He remembered who she was though and backed off. He tsked. This had better be worth it.

Bored since he didn't think it wise to leave her until she woke up he got up and pulled on his gloves and jacket. He glanced at her and bit his nails. He was bored!

Then a light bulb went off in his head. Marko smiled and bent near her, rearranging her body. He traced a thumb over the wound on her forehead and moved some of her hair so it fanned out on the pillow like a stain of blood. He chuckled, whistling while he left the room.

Celia woke up maybe half an hour later. She looked around to notice she was alone in the bed. She found Marko stretched out in an old fashioned chair. He had his legs propped up on the edge of the bed and a sketch book in his hand. His eyes were on it, his head tilted as he concentrated.

"You draw?"

"You're awake," he said, not looking up. "Don't move for a sec."

"You're drawing me," she asked, unsure how she felt about that.

"Uh-huh." Actually he had drawn her three times already. Each time he shifted her body to be more interesting.

This last time he had shifted her onto her back and placed one hand on her lower stomach, the other he had maneuvered next to her face and turned her cheek into it so he could profile her face. He had even pulled the sheets down to pool around her hips. Her shirt was ripped from the night before and he had tugged on it a bit to unravel it more so it was now more of a revealing V-neck. Marko was a perfectionist at his art and what he wanted he'd get.

He was shading it in now. "You can move now."

Celia pulled her arm down and got off the bed. "Um, about earlier…"

"Yeah?" He closed his sketch book with a gesture and tilted his head to look at her. He chewed the end of his pencil.

"You can't touch me like that again."

Marko smiled. "So you don't like it?"

"That's not the problem." Celia brushed her hand through her hair in a distracted way. She brushed the wound. "Why isn't this worse?"

Marko shrugged. "Head wounds bleed a lot." He would know. They were the perfect spot when he wanted to feed quickly.

"Can we go now?"

Marko stood. "Sure."

He grabbed her hand. When Celia tried to get free he looked at her. "It's dark and the ground is unstable. It's easy to get lost. But if you want to try and wander out by yourself…"

Her fingers tightened around his. "Fine," she muttered.

It took about ten minutes. Marko jumped into the main cave, immediately going over to wrestle with Paul. Celia slid down as gracefully as she could. As soon as she did she couldn't help but look around in awe. She had known she was in a cave. She hadn't known it was still so intact anywhere.

David glanced at her. When their eyes met there was a spark, a feeling he knew her. It irritated him more. He was already on a short fuse since he was hungry. Paul had been blasting his rock box as loud as it could go which wasn't good since he'd just about blown the speakers in it.

Laddie perked up when he saw her. Star looked sullen. But the boy jumped from the fountain where he'd been playing with Dwayne and ran up to her. Celia smiled and let the boy slam into her, his arms wrapping tightly around her waist.

"Celia, I've missed you!"

"Hey there. How've you been little guy?"

"I'm not little," Laddie protested.

Celia laughed. "Okay then big guy."

Laddie looked at her. "Are you one of us now?"

David spoke up before she could. "Laddie, go get ready. Now that Marko's finished playing with his sketches we can get out of here."

He didn't like her. That much was obvious. Celia felt herself deflate a little. Star came up next to her. Celia rallied and gave her a smile.

"You're the girl Michael is stalking. I'm Celia." She held out a hand and Star hesitantly shook it.

"I know, he's mentioned you. He worries about you a lot," Star murmured.

"Well he hasn't mentioned you but he's definitely love sick over you."

Star smiled slightly. "I like him too."

"Good. I was always kind of worried about them. Michael and Sam. They never showed any interest in girls. Well, Sam still isn't but now Michael seems really determined."

Star nodded. She knew she couldn't say too much. David and the boys were listening in on this. They were waiting for her to trip up and say too much. It was all a game. Everything they did, everything she might have wanted to do or save, they turned it into some twisted game for their amusement.

She decided to push the boundaries a little. "Michael's right to be worried about you."

"And why's that," Celia asked.

"You seem very naïve. Staying the night with four guys you don't know… it isn't safe."

Celia flushed, unable to deny it. "It really wasn't on my list of things to do… ever."

Before Star could comment Paul rushed up and grabbed Celia. "Hey, you saying we aren't fun to sleep over with?"

Celia grinned a little. "Oh, sure. It's every girls dream to get attacked by a random group all because she talks to their rival. It's an even bigger dream to wake up with a tear in the forehead, locked in a room with a horny guy."

Star was putting two and two together. Before she could comment the boys all rounded up at the front. Star glanced at Celia before she moved off to join with David. He was the only one who paid her any attention besides Laddie. Any time the others talked to her it was to taunt her or do something sick.

Marko was grinning when Celia came to him. Until David said, "Marko take her home. She needs to see her family."

The smile dropped but he didn't comment. He pulled Celia up the way out and dragged her to his bike. She watched Star mount with David, Dwayne lift Laddie onto his. Marko straddled his bike patiently and waited thoughtfully. When she finally climbed on he revved it up. He followed Dwayne out, Paul right behind him.

Celia had started out limply holding him. As soon as he was off though she changed her mind. Marko laughed when her hands wrapped around his chest and she clung, even her thighs tightening around him.

"Don't be so scared," he yelled at her.

Easy for him to say! Celia couldn't see anything beyond the four bikes headlights and taillights. She knew they were now going through some sort of forest with uneven ground. It was almost a constant thing for them to be airborne. The boys were all whooping and Paul was laughing sadistically behind them, even Star laughing gleefully.

_Can't they ride like normal people_, her mind groaned as they hit a bump.

Despite the fact she was rigid Marko was able to keep the bike upright and moving with ease. As with his art Marko took pride in his abilities on his motorcycle. All the boys did. None of them could match David though who would take risks even they thought hilariously psychotic.

They burst from the forest and onto the sandy beach under the boardwalk. Celia tightened her grip on him even more as they dodged around camp fires and people. She didn't think Paul had driven this fast when he'd taken her home.

Marko was horribly amused by the fear pulsing out of Celia. It egged him on to go even faster and his pack obliged him by speeding their bikes up to keep the natural pecking order in place. He just hoped she didn't hurl on him or something. He liked his jacket too much so he'd have to take some kind of retaliation out on her if it happened.

Celia had no idea how long it took them to reach the way up onto the boardwalk. Paul hopped off his bike first and came to poke fun at her. Dwayne and David were more lethargic, David helping Star off carelessly. Marko remained on his bike since he had to go on another run.

"Marko we'll wait for you before we go handle those guys from last night," David said calmly.

Marko leaned back slightly and tapped his fingers on the bars. He grinned happily, his insides tightening at the thought of shredding the surf Nazi's to bits after a good feeding.

"You're first ride with us was a success," Paul was saying to Celia while David spoke to Marko.

She gave him a glare. "I'm going to die."

Paul smiled and giggled. Actually freaking giggled at her. "Well, yeah. Aren't all humans?"

An odd way of putting it. Celia decided to answer anyway. "Most don't die from insane bike rides."

"Least you didn't puke," Paul said happily.

Marko focused in on that word. "Hey, whoa! This is a no-hurling bike."

"Then drive normally," Celia retorted.

"This is normal!"

"Not at night!"

"If you hurl on this jacket-"

"You worry about your clothes like a girl!" Paul burst out laughing. He stumbled back he was laughing so hard.

"You cuddle too much," Marko shot back.

"Says the guy who kidnapped me and freaking drooled on my neck!"

"I didn't kidnap you. And you liked me licking you."

"Since when has 'stop' started meaning-"

"Okay, enough!" David sliced through them. Celia huffed but Marko whipped around and genuinely pouted.

"David-"

"No." David shook his head. Listening to them was enough to have him remember two teenagers together were horrible.

"But this is my favorite jacket," Marko whined a little.

Celia had heard enough. "Paul can't you take me home?"

They all looked at her. Paul stopped laughing and he looked at her seriously for a split second.

"You already know where it is," Celia pointed out.

Paul glanced at David. Marko huffed but he didn't comment. David took in Celia and Marko and sighed. The crowd was sliding around them but not many came too close.

Celia looked like a sulking female and Marko, normally so charming when he was on a mission, looked belligerent. He nodded his head and Paul bobbed his in acceptance.

"Okay man," Paul said with a shrug. He offered Celia a hand off Marko's bike with an exaggerated bow.

She let him tug her to his bike and they got on. Laddie waved goodbye to her while he started it up.

"Ready to hit it babe," he said jokingly.

Celia wrapped her arms around his waist. "Yeah."

He pulled right out into a group of bystanders and they shrieked while they scattered. David glanced at Star and Laddie.

"Go play somewhere else." They hurried to leave and Dwayne and David looked at Marko who was biting his nail in frustration. "Well?"

"She's unreasonable," Marko muttered.

"Really? It seems you both are," Dwayne commented with a small smile.

He received a hiss for his trouble. David clapped Marko on the shoulder. "Can you handle her still?"

"Yeah."

"I mean it Marko."

"I said yeah."

David nodded. "Okay then. But if she gets too hard on you I want you to kill her."

Dwayne smiled contentedly and Marko nodded, a smile returning to his innocent features.

Paul had barely stopped his bike outside Celia's house when the door was flung open. He recognized the middle aged woman leading the group as the night air was filled with shouts. Celia let herself be wrapped in the woman's arms.

"Oh god, we were so worried, Celia what happened?" The woman let her go and grabbed her face in her hands, tilting it up. "Oh my god, what happened to your head? Did somebody attack you?"

Celia was practically dragged off the motorcycle and Paul found himself smiling his normal grin.

Sam wrapped his arms around her and Michael reached over and hugged her from the side with one arm. The relief was tangible on the part of her family. Celia finally wriggled free and gave Paul a hug, thanking him.

She introduced him around and he held his hand up in greeting, nodding his head to their hello's. Celia explained what had happened, that the boys hadn't wanted to risk having her on a bike when she wasn't lucid the night before. She apologized for not calling.

Lucy kissed her niece's forehead again before she sighed. "Okay. We're going to have that checked out tomorrow young lady. No arguments. Let's all get back inside now. Er, Paul, was it? Do you want to come in?"

"Nah." He grinned. He was ready for breakfast. "I'll see ya next time cutie."

"See ya," Celia said as she leaned on Michael.

Paul returned to his brothers. Celia was led into the kitchen. Lucy forced her into a chair and got her a glass of warm milk. Sam sat across from her while Nanook pushed his head into her lap. Michael joked with her. Even the old man came out and greeted her warmly, mumbling about 'bad elements' and being careful.

Celia grinned when Michael and Sam followed her up the steps like stalkers. She opened her door and turned to look at them. "Okay guys. I think I can handle it from here."

Sam smiled a little. Michael nodded. She shut the door in their faces. It took a few minutes for her to hear them walking away. She smiled with a small laugh and decided to take a bath before going to bed.

All thoughts of Marko and the boys faded to the back of her mind. She went to sleep with only peace in her thoughts.

End chapter

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_**Author note:** _I hope to see some reviews from you readers. I appreciate them a lot. See you next time!


	7. Escape Your Appointment With Death

_**Author note:**_ Oh, my goodness this heat is a killer. Really, is it too much to ask for a mild day, like 50-60 on the temperature reading?

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own my OC's. And the overall story. But that's all.

* * *

Chapter start

Celia waved goodbye to Lucy before she settled into Connor's old pick up truck with a relieved sigh. Lucy had been an absolute mother hen the past day. And Sam had been the faithful little nurse, only Michael giving her any much-needed peace.

The doctor had said Celia was fine, the nurse had said Celia was fine. Then the doctor had to add that, just in case of a concussion, Celia shouldn't be left alone for long. Doctor Worrier could not understand how the wound had healed so quickly when it showed signs of being much deeper, anyway, and Celia wasn't willing to be some guinea pig over it.

At least freedom had finally been accomplished through dear sweet Connor. They both had the day off and if that wasn't something to be taken advantage of then what was?

Connor had called three times the day she had been 'kidnapped' by Marko. The next day he had called twice, first before the doctor and once after. This morning she had pounced on him like a mountain lion and demanded he come rescue her. He happily obliged.

"So let me get this straight, girl," he said, "Kyle hasn't called you once?"

Celia clicked her tongue. "Nope."

"And have you called him?"

"Nope."

Connor hummed low in his throat and remained attentive to the road. It was obvious he had something to say. In a minute he might start bouncing out of his seat. So she bit the bullet and asked.

"Well… it just seems to me that if this guy is your ultimate love then wouldn't he be concerned about you not calling? You're getting more attention from those biker babes than him."

She snorted. "He doesn't know about all that! Relationship suicide isn't my goal."

"Please, with how absolutely adorable that curly guy is I'd want to know if my lover was getting hit on by that." Connor sniffed dramatically. "Guys like that are the ones that turn good little girls bad."

"Marko is just playful. It doesn't mean anything," Celia said with an airy wave of her hand.

Connor smirked triumphantly. "Mmm-hmm. And the fact he hasn't been seen with another gal since he started sniffing you out says nothing huh?"

"It says maybe he's gotten tired of meaningless sex from hussies. Or that he's taking a break from it."

"Amazing that such a boyish little innocent is in fact such a heartbreaker," Connor commented. "It's more amazing how totally dense you are."

"Shut up. Marko is not innocent, believe me. He drives like someone's chasing him, he licks me all the time, he sketched me while I was sleeping for god's sake and-"

"Sounds like a crush to me," Connor sang. "You know licking can be good. It can be really fun actually." He waggled his brows suggestively.

Celia scoffed before she laughed. "I hate you. Why are you gay?"

"I hate you too darling. Who knows? Maybe you'll convert me and I'll steal you from that insensitive beast you call a boyfriend."

"Maybe," Celia echoed even though they both knew it was never going to happen in any circumstances.

They spent a fun filled day at the boardwalk. Connor was surprisingly a daredevil and made her sit in the front for all the rides. When they went to the beach they swam for awhile before they decided to tan. It was during that tanning session that she got curious.

"Hey, why is it that only the hussies go near them anyway," she asked.

"What? Who?"

She turned on her side to focus on Connor. "Marko and Paul, and the other two."

"David and Dwayne," he supplied.

"Yeah, why doesn't anyone go near them except for sex?"

"Have you looked at their faces? Gorgeous," Connor yawned.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah but-"

"Like I told you before. Most sane people like their hearts unbroken as a rule. Those guys have never been seen with a girl or guy for more than a night or two."

That brought up an interesting point. "What about Star?"

Connor grunted, smacking her on the back of her head. "Somebody is just dying of curiosity today, aren't we?" Celia pinched his hand and he withdrew. "She belongs to David or so everyone says. They certainly don't act like a couple. He picked her up like most others and she seemed to stick unlike most others."

"And Laddie?"

Connor frowned. "Now that I don't know. He came along after the girl did but he seems familiar. I've seen his face somewhere before."

"You too?"

They fell silent again after that. Celia heaved a sigh and rolled onto her back. She still didn't get why only certain kinds migrated to those four bikers. She did know she had to apologize to Marko. She hadn't been really fair to him and the argument had been childish in an insulting way.

Blood was a delicious motivator. Marko grinned faintly while he stalked his prey. This was the last one after all and then he could go get his real dinner. He wouldn't ever defile his precious lips with this ones blood. But it was still pleasant to feel the fear rippling from the human scum.

He was hiding in an abandoned hospital on the edge of Santa Carla which Marko found very fitting. Nobody would hear the screams from here which meant he could get as violent as he wanted without any concern. Even better maybe a doctor had left behind some fun little tools for him to use like a scalpel or one of those electro shock machines. That would be fun.

The night before he and the boys had found the group that attacked Celia, ripping through them with pure, unadulterated animalism. With glee, he recalled ripping the hair right from the scalp of the girl who had stood there, taunted Celia, and egged the man on in attacking her. Marko had shredded her torso open with nimble fingers and massaged them on her heart. He had used those fingers to callously collapse her ribs, as if they were clumps of sand, and he a toddler ruining his sand castle.

He had studied her hair for a moment. It had been thick and lustrous but sweaty and matted with sand from where she had been two seconds away from fucking some guy Dwayne was munching. With cruel intent, Marko tugged the mass off, the bloody roots swinging in the air, before shoving it down her throat to watch her gag and choke on the tendrils.

The whole time he tortured her he had drunk in the screams that had dimmed to pained whimpers and then glorious silence when he pinched a small hole on her heart and let it pour the crimson down her shredded body. With interest he had watched the final glaze of death come over her wide eyes.

They had cleaned up easily, tossing the bodies into a fire. Now Marko was stalking the final prey, the man who had actually had thoughts of using something that belonged to the lost boys.

He landed neatly by the door. The night was cooler than normal and the wind blew in his hair. He tapped the door lightly with his finger nails. His victim hadn't gone in through here. It was still bolted shut and rusted over. With a casual flick of his wrist he sent it inward, and slammed the now bent door into the old wall. He whistled a merry little tune as he stepped in and glanced around.

Dust littered the floor so when he turned around he could see his steps. Cobwebs hung from the doorframes and corner ceilings. With his presence in their home he saw hundreds of little spiders scuttling up their webs to safety. They wouldn't come down until he had gone. The braver ones crawled down to hang in his face, curiously befriending him before he stepped past. One danced on his knuckles and he recognized it as one of the poison kinds. A true predator in unassuming skin, just as he was.

His footsteps echoed off the empty place. Marko kept whistling as he wandered slowly down the hall, his trailing fingers collecting dust as they ran along a wall. It was a nice place.

The sound of labored breathing and a tortured heartbeat was heavy in his ears. Anticipation wrapped around him as he neared it. He took the time to peer into every opened doorway and on the third try he got lucky, a grin lighting up his features, and he trotted eagerly inside.

He wandered to the far corner and bent to lift a sharp object from the ground. It was layered in several inches of dust and he whistled happily as he wiped it on his pants. When he could see the shine, he tested it against his forearm, leaving behind a thin slice that healed instantly. He drew another line and studied the effect as he dug even deeper into his rather resilient skin.

"I could have been a doctor." Marko cackled to himself and decided to go see his first ever patient as 'Doctor Marko'.

He found him in the basement. It was quite a small room, with heavy black beams in the ceiling. The stones of the floor were stained and greasy, ash was piled within the fender, and cobwebs hung in dusty droops from the beams. It must have been where they brought things to be burned, he supposed with some interest.

If they could get it going again burning victims' bodies would have some new fun in it for them all. The windows were so covered with a greasy slime and dirt and dust that no sunlight could have hoped to pierce into it. Maybe they could send Star here, lock her up with a victim until she fed. It had possibilities.

The man was cowering under some old filthy bed sheets. They might have saved him if they weren't shaking and Marko didn't have enhanced hearing, smell, and sight on his side.

"Oh Mr. rapist," he sang in his best child voice, "Come out, come out, wherever you are."

He twirled his newest toy in his fingers and smiled. "I promise I won't eat you. I just want to give you a one way ticket to someplace nice and toasty, all year round."

He resumed his whistling and moved to be right beside the pile of dirty linen. His whistling hit a shrill note as he bent low, grasping with his free hand. He wrenched the linens away so sharply that the body tangled in them rolled with a cry of delicious terror before Steven scrambled and crawled before getting to his feet.

Marko let him get to the stairs, let the stupid human crawl and slip on the thin concrete steps. Once he reached the top Marko appeared there, crushing the bones in the fingers with his foot.

"Oh, my bad. Sorry there." Marko smiled charmingly as he bent down to grab Steven's collar. "I meant to break the other one. You know the hand you tried to crush the other night."

Marko let the sniveling human go and stood up. Before relief could be felt on Steven's part Marko slid his boot under the shoulder and lifted his body by it alone, slamming it into the railing. It shrieked protestingly before it gave way under the heavy force and both he and the rail plummeted back to the stained floor.

Marko heard the sound of splintering bones accompanied by the cry of agony. He glanced down to see blood pooling around from the broken ribs poking out of the chest cavity now, it teased his senses and he felt his better nature thrusting against him. He frowned and shook it away.

He jumped lithely down and landed next to Steven. "That looks nasty," he commented, kneeling to poke at a rib and push it to one side, causing more blood to gush out.

Steven couldn't scream but he babbled and the words echoed in his brain. Marko grinned. "You're already in a hospital. I'm taking good care of you here."

He grabbed Steven and hurled him into a wall. The sound of his nasty flesh peeling from the ground was disturbing. Before it could slip back to the ground Marko was there, grabbing Steven around the throat and dangling him there.

"Not yet, Stevey-boy. There's a few more marks you have to bear before I send you off to your permanent vacation."

Marko waved his scalpel in front of Steven's eyes. He hummed while he placed the tip very carefully against the top left of his forehead. He added soft pressure and watched, mesmerized, as it sunk in. Dwayne had said it was deep but he hadn't given any details beyond that, still trying to get chocolate out of his mouth. Marko pouted about the fact Dwayne had saved Celia, he loved chocolate flavored blood. He forgot all about the fact he could have saved her if he hadn't wanted to drain her dry at the time.

He was very careful to draw the moment out. Tears were leaking out of Steven's eyes now as Marko dug through his flesh with the scalpel. When he was done he withdrew, letting his victim slide bonelessly to the floor and whimper like a kicked puppy. He surveyed his handiwork.

"Close enough," he said with pride. "Now comes the hard part."

He tugged Steven's legs until he was on his back again. Without care for the ribs poking through he tore the shirt off and pressed his palm against the right pectoral. He recalled the bruises on Celia and imagined them on the hard flesh under his fingers.

He held the bloody and still somewhat dusty scalpel aloft. "Now if you twitch and make me mess up I'll be very cross with you."

It took him five minutes until he was satisfied. He reached back and dragged some linen to him so he could blot the running blood away and see his masterpiece coming to life. A laugh escaped his lips. There was now a near perfect rendition of the bruises Celia had marring her skin. The only difference was hers would heal without a mark to say they had ever been. Steven's never would.

The human was hanging on to life stubbornly, pleasing Marko. He had one more thing to handle. Deliberately he trailed his fingers down to the edge of Steven's pants, toying with the zipper and cocking his head to the side, smiling like the seductive, horrible little demon he was.

"Now then let's see about taking care of that little thing you wanted to use on my girl."

Steven's screams died down only to rise again when Marko used the scalpel too sharply, grinning the whole time. He had removed his precious jacket beforehand and his gloves. His hands and forearms were covered in blood while he sat between Steven's legs. He had them spread wide apart.

Marko was a truly sadistic being. He loved to inflict pain and he would do it any way he could, especially for the good of what was their property like Celia was. At the end of the day he would never hurt the things he truly cared about and that was his only limit.

Marko finally pulled the scalpel away and surveyed his work again. He had never castrated anything but he thought he did a real good job. He licked his lips as he wondered what to do next. He turned his head and took in the huge furnace.

"Alright, we're almost done." He got up and dragged Steven's body over to it.

The opening groaned when he pulled it wide and he peered inside curiously. He stuck his whole head in, dug through some of the old ashes still there. A mouse shot up and ran over his arm and he caught it easily. He listened until he found the other one and dug until he caught it too.

"Sorry little ones," he said, "but your home is going up in smoke soon. I know, I'll take you to my place. You'll like it better than this old junker."

The mice were licking the blood off his arms. Marko glanced around, he spied an old cage that was rusty, and the top was bent. He put them in and latched it shut. They scurried around the bottom but he knew there wasn't a way out. With some regret he decided to mess up a small piece of his masterpiece. He tugged a chunk of flesh from Steven and the man whined a little. Marko dropped it into the cage and the mice went for it.

He hefted Steven in his arms and very casually tossed him into the furnace. The new weight sent up a plume of ash into the air. It swirled around Marko who was grinning with pleasure.

He surveyed the furnace until he found the buttons to make it work. He turned the dial to its maximum heat and shut the door. At the very least, Steven would bleed out and die in there. It wouldn't be as satisfying but Marko knew he couldn't win them all. If he was lucky the furnace still worked. He pressed the start button and waited. It took ten minutes before he became aware of the fact the metal he leaned on was getting hot.

Marko grinned wider when the first flames flickered to life inside the furnace. It was belching in protest as the gears started turning again; he thought there was probably black smoke billowing into the air outside wherever it came out.

Steven's screams started up again but by now they weren't any louder than sighs. Marko had ripped each and every scream from him happily until his voice was hoarse. Half an hour later and the flames were a true inferno inside and even Marko couldn't see Steven's body. By now it must have been crispy, the blood turned black before it evaporated in the heat, the skin peeling away to reveal the soft organs and white bone structure. Soon even the bones would ash.

When it was over and the flames were dead Marko opened the furnace. A wave of heat hit him and made him blink as he looked curiously. There wasn't a trace of Steven anywhere.

He smiled and bit his nail while he collected his jacket and gloves. When he was again dressed fully he gathered up the cage and some of the bloody linen for them to make a new nest.

Tonight had so far been successful. He had gotten his revenge against the Surf Nazi's, found a cool new hideout for him and a new toy to burn things in, and had even found two new little vermin to keep as pets.

He flew back to the cave. David and Paul were there. They glanced at him when he came in.

"More vermin?" David glanced at the cage indifferently. Marko had populated their cave with mice, pigeons, raccoons, possums, and even a horrible little skunk that had thankfully been old and died within a year or so of being there.

Animals, vermin in specific, loved Marko. Moreover, he was just as affectionate.

Marko smiled at his best friend and knew David didn't really care about the mice. He vanished down a tunnel in order to find the best home base for his two little pets.

Paul hopped off the fountain to follow him. David closed his eyes briefly until he felt Dwayne drop into the cave. Victory was pulsing from his Native American friend.

Dwayne came over and dropped to his knees before David. He reached with his hands in a slow caress of David's legs, dipping low over the curve of his outer thighs while his head nuzzled his knees affectionately. David let his fingers absently brush through some of the dark hair.

"Good hunt," he said sarcastically.

Dwayne made a small noise of affirmation. "I finally won over that little school girl."

"Congratulations," David muttered.

Dwayne smirked. It wasn't that they were mates, neither of them wanted to take that heavy step that would bind them for a few centuries at least. They had been together right from the beginning of each others immortal lives and that had helped to foster the closeness between them. The possessive glint they both showed whenever the other was on a long hunt for prey was all part of the thrill for each other, the sullen jealousy that led to intangible heights of pleasure for them both enough. They didn't need to be mates to know they belonged to each other. All the boys belonged to each other and intermingled.

Dwayne buried his head until David parted his thighs slightly for him and he bit through the fabric of his jeans to pierce the vein. David growled warningly.

"I have her," Dwayne said, "tied up in her basement. Her parents are gone for the weekend, the doors bolt from the inside so nobody can get in. There is no staff to bother us. I thought we could have some alone time, eat out together for a change."

David looked his first brother and frequent lover over. He smirked slightly. Marko and Paul were more than capable of handling Star and Laddie, and they would know where to find them if something did happen.

"Lead the way."

Marko had found the perfect spot for his little mice. Paul watched him open the latch door inside the moist tunnel and drop some pieces of flesh around it. He helped his brother tear the linens up and dropped them to the ground so they could make a nest from them.

While they worked Marko told him about the abandoned hospital and the furnace.

"That's rockin' man!" Paul was slightly high and loving it. "Let's go check it out!"

Marko led him to the place and Paul peered into the furnace just as Marko had done. "You can smell the guy a little still. Smells like burned meat."

"No way! He got cooked," Marko protested, pushing Paul aside to stick himself in. As soon as he did, Paul grabbed his legs and lifted him, dumping him without ceremony into the ashes.

"Hey!"

Paul was laughing hysterically so he didn't see the retaliation on Marko's face. He choked on a laugh as Marko grabbed him and tugged him in, burying his head into the ashes and straddling Paul to keep him there.

"Damned bastard," he hollered.

Paul heaved and after a second managed to turn himself over. He grabbed Marko and the two began playfully fighting.

End chapter

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_**Author note:** _Okay, sadistic vampire Marko, you have fun in those ashes you hear? I really do not know where that came from but I do kind of like writing him this way. I would love some reviews about what you all thought, too! I will see you all next time.


	8. Fall To Temptation

_**Author note:** _Hi all! I just wanted to say again that all you who fav, alert, or review are all awesome rockers in my brain. The support means a lot to me on a good day and on a bad one it's totally warm-feeling inducing. So thank you all again!

_**Disclaimer:**_ If I owned then there'd be some major changes to the end. Like victory for our group of vampires.

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Chapter start

It was a nice night. The moon was full and the stars were all out in full shining force. The gentle waves were rolling up onto the unresisting sands and the air was crisp and cool against skin.

Celia didn't question why she was there. Even though it was unusual not to hear the sounds of the boardwalk or see a campfire or several going, that it was very late at night and she was there in nothing but her thin white cotton summer dress, none of it hit her as odd.

She was more preoccupied with the feeling of the smooth wind winding through her unbound hair. More interested in the feel of the soft sand between her toes. She thought she wasn't being introverted that she didn't want the company of anyone even as she filled with an expectant awareness. Something would happen and when it did it would be to the good or to the bad, whichever it was certainly wouldn't shatter the peace, she felt.

It was a queer sensation to be so relaxed. Wandering a beach had little appeal, considering the time and place it was in. Strangely, not even that crossed her sleepy mind.

"Oh Celia!"

In typical dreamlike slowness all there was to do was blink and there he was. Right in front of her as though he had every right to be there, smiling like the impish little devil he was underneath the innocent charm he tossed around like confetti. Underneath it all he was cruel to be there with her, cruel to make her pulse rush uncomfortably.

Celia had the knowledge just then but she let it again slip under the feeling of expectancy growing. She remembered Kyle and clung with steady determination that Marko had only to flick to send crashing down.

Marko grinned at her, aware of it all and relishing the power he had as long as he controlled the situation. Celia backed away when he stepped closer to her.

"Don't be so scared," he said, "you knew what coming here meant."

Annoyingly the peaceful atmosphere shattered around her as her body trembled against the words. Fear? Celia blanched under it because she suddenly did know what he meant and wondered how she had ever forgotten and been so stupid.

"You can't make me," she muttered firmly. "This is never going to happen!"

Marko laughed suddenly. "It can happen. It's happening here now and it will happen again and again. Whether it's me or not. Even if it's _him_."

Celia ran. The beach now had a dark pall over it, clouds that were thick and impenetrable covered the moon and shielded her from following the light it cast off. The boardwalk wasn't behind her. The beach stretched for miles and miles. She could run into the ocean and try to swim for… what?

It just could not happen; she couldn't surrender, not to Marko and certainly not to the other one, the darker figure that had coldly burrowed into her psyche without even talking to her in more than demanding, abrupt terms.

Wherever she turned though Marko somehow was in front of her, grinning and laughing openly at her. Herding her slowly until she felt desperate tears cling to her lashes. Where was the playful Marko whose biggest offense had been driving recklessly in her eyes?

It seemed the water was the safest place for her. "Are you sure about that," he asked playfully.

He lunged forward and she skittered backwards, kicking up clumps of sand, and tumbling into the tide. As it rushed around her, she was aware of the icy texture soaking into the thin dress and piercing her flesh like thousands of tiny needles at once. It had never been so cold before! Her blood was quickly dancing away from the top layer of skin as it stole the warmth of her body.

Marko paused in the surf nonchalantly. "Just give in. You know at the least you're curious about what it'll be like."

"No! No, I am not," She spat with renewed agitation, ignoring the ice water surrounding her deeper as she scuttled backwards.

He looked indifferent but at the same time amused. "Have it your way."

Celia had barely stood when she found the sand under her feet giving way just as a huge wave broke over the beach. Marko was gone as it covered over her head. The bite of it dragged her forcefully under and she lost all sense of balance and direction as it dragged against the slender body it gripped and tossed it unerringly out into the deep depths of ocean.

She managed to catch an updraft and her head popped above the surface. The waves were tossing her madly about like a dog with a bone and she screamed and choked, unable to comprehend now what was happening.

Imperturbably memories of Marko licking her, of biting and teasing her neck were rising into her mind as she fought to stay above. It was tantalizing despite it all, filling her with curiosity she denied every waking second. He was a friend!

"Oh fine," Marko said with a chuckle. "Drown then."

He had said it and suddenly it was happening. Celia was dragged further under then and spun roughly around so she had no clue which way was up or down or sideways anymore. What was a fact was she had never been a heavy swimmer. Oh, sure she would play around in the water, maybe do a lap or two, but stamina swimming, resisting the currents and generally _not _drowning when in such a situation had not been something she studied or practiced.

The air was gone from her body and her lungs were screaming, demanding oxygen she knew she couldn't supply. If only she could sprout a pair of gills or be a mermaid. Hell, she would even settle for being a jellyfish at the second just so long as she could breathe underwater!

Her mouth opened despite the best effort to keep it shut. What felt like galleons of nasty salt water barreled down her throat and into expectant lungs and slid further down in to her stomach. At the first taste she gagged, hand flying to her throat as she writhed in vain effort to halt the now even worse burning sensation sliding through her body.

Celia was near gone into surrendered oblivion when she again found her surroundings changing. Her body rocketed in a direction while she gagged until she felt herself land on something hard. The water slid off and, like a sac opening, it split at the very top and cascaded around her form, splattering her with a final icy caress and soaking the area around her.

Sweet air! Water spit from deep in the lungs and Celia dragged in as much of the air as she could which resulted in hacking coughs that racked through her. Dimly, as if it was from far away she recognized the tread of booted feet. They sounded heavier than Marko's though. With raw determination she forced herself up onto her hands but her knees slid under her in open rebellion of supporting any weight.

She was gasping amid smaller coughs now as she looked up, quickly using a hand to drag the soaked curtain of hair from her face so she could see. She tilted her head upwards as she held the heavy curtain back.

It was _him_, just as she feared.

Beyond him she recognized the bright roof of the carousal, she followed the ribboned poles that connected the horses to the top. She looked from the corner of her eye to see the mirrors that reflected his calm profile, almost harsh in the golden lighting around the carousal.

Celia was seized with an unfamiliar and unwelcome weakness that she was going to blame fully on oxygen deprivation. This couldn't be happening.

David looked down upon her with coldness and his voice was only mocking. "Ready to give up?"

Celia huffed and swallowed the cough. With determination, she pushed herself off her hands and knees. Her body swayed when she finally won that uphill battle to being upright but she let herself fall slightly to the right. Her hand reached to curl around a pole connected to a pure black horse adorned with a ruby red halter and saddle set, its mouth widely agape and all the plastic teeth seeable, making it seem sinister almost.

David stood straight and she absurdly noticed the fact he was next to a white horse with silver harness and saddle set, and the expression it wore seemed much more welcoming then her own support.

She quickly took stock of the events. She had been chased, threatened with something she didn't really know of but feared for some reason, drowned… and now had an even bigger fear thrust at her with a swords biting vengeance. She nearly choked on an even newer feeling entering her system, something she recognized with sluggish surprise as rage.

Celia hadn't been enraged since she was eight and some little boy had bullied Sam, him coming home with a black eye and bruised skin elsewhere. She and Michael had both found that snot nosed bully and done a number.

It threatened to overwhelm her. Then, taking a deep, steadying breath, she suddenly smiled. It was the sweetest she could conjure, and David tilted his head and studied it, defying her to try anything other than give in to what he wanted.

He reached out and she felt his gloved fingers ghosting along her cheek. It caused a tremble to run through her already exhausted body, but, still unwilling to surrender, to admit defeat, she suddenly exploded into a clawing, scratching little wild cat.

David met the attack with a smirk; letting her pummel him for a second before he crushed her in his wrapping arms but even then, she didn't stop her misguided thrashing and clawing. With an ease she detested he lifted her from the ground and in one movement, had her laid back down on the unyielding bottom of the carousal and pressed his body against hers.

Their bodies entwined, they rolled, twisted, and battled their way around the metal floor under them. Celia fought with a feverish intensity, David an amused enabler. Her clenched fists struck him on the face and shoulders, her body jerking and writhing in a furious effort to throw him off, to escape the steel fingers and arms that were inexorably winning the battle as his amusement dimmed. She bit his ear in final desperation and heard with a guilty satisfaction mixed with pleasure the hiss between his teeth before he freed himself from her small white teeth.

She was breathing heavily until at last David used his much greater strength to subdue her fully. His body trapped her against the metal underneath, her hands held tightly above her head in one of his. His other hand captured her chin and forced her wildly thrashing head still. For a brief moment, they were both motionless, his icy eyes staring down into her widely defiant hazel orbs with amusement and a touch of derision.

"Don't you dare," she said with so much anger he chuckled.

"This is the way it has to be," He said mockingly. "Either me or Marko. Funny you couldn't escape me."

"I choose Kyle!"

"He isn't on this menu."

Celia felt the weakness of futility go through her veins and she stumbled briefly. "Don't come any closer to me," she said bravely, proud of the fact she didn't stutter.

"Oh but I will," David threatened softly. "I'm going to come so close, to fill you so fully, you won't be able to stand it even as you beg for more of it."

Mesmerized, her eyes clinging to the pitiless striking blues above her, she watched helplessly as he bent his head, and then, unable to help herself, her own eyes slipped tightly closed to blot out the harsh face intending to make a mockery of the intimacy she had held only with Kyle before.

David's mouth was warm and demanding as it took hers. He kept the pressure altered, kissing her for a long time, long enough for Celia to learn that there were kisses and then there were _kisses_. After the first few seconds, and one small effort to twist away, she stopped resisting and he stopped having to force her. Alarmingly she felt his lips open her mouth and his tongue seek the inner sweetness, searching the new cavern opened to his plundering.

Somehow, this was better than any kiss Kyle had ever given her, similar to the feelings Marko and his insistent tingling inducing licks and nips brought out. Celia gave a tiny moan at the pleasurable ache tightening in her belly, forgetting to protest when he lowered his head to gently nip and lick away the sudden flare of sharp pain on the soft skin of her collar bone. It was when he pulled away that sanity returned in a crushing stream, David's face mocking her in every way, his lips tilted scornfully, his eyes coldly assessing how easy it had been.

Celia shot up with a small cry of terror, knocking poor Nanook from on top of her. He slid to the side of her bed, almost all the way off, and scrambled with his paws to right himself safely back. He whined pitifully.

Celia brushed her sweaty hair back from her forehead where it had plastered to her skin. A dream! It had all been a very messed up, very annoying dream.

Relief bubbled through her and she laughed gaily. Sam came in a few minutes later with some ice water.

"Oh good you're up," he said with a grin. He gestured to the glass in his hand before plunking it down on the nightstand. "I was gonna pour it on you."

Celia shivered at the thought. "Why?"

"Cause you were freaking out. You kept on thrashing and crying out, Nanook was going nuts trying to get you up. You must've had a nightmare or something."

Nanook again whined plaintively and she reached out to scratch his ears. "It was…" she dug in her brain, trying to cling to it and when she did she wanted to burn it away. She decided to lie, to distance herself from it. "You know what? Sam, I can't remember! But I know I was really scared for some reason."

Sam nodded as he plopped on her bed. "Then I guess it's a good thing you don't remember."

With a small nod, she forced a smile to concede the point. "Where's Michael? You didn't wake him and Lucy up when you couldn't get me up right?"

Sam shook his head. "Mom's asleep but Michael isn't home yet."

Well, wasn't that curious?

Marko was hanging upside down, swinging on a branch with an unusually thoughtful face on his features. The tree was maybe ten feet from Celia's bedroom. They had dropped off Michael, dumping the new Halfling carelessly on the bed. Marko hadn't been able to resist teasing the remaining goal.

David had allowed him to remain behind to do it. Now Marko had an interesting little thing to share with his brothers. He grinned and dropped from his perch, soaring high into the air to go and report this.

When he landed back in the cave one of his pigeons flew to him and he held it tenderly. He wandered to be next to his and Paul's couch and he plopped down next to his brother, who was playing his guitar relentlessly, fingers ghosting over the chords with inhuman speed.

"Oh daddy David!" Marko bit his thumb. David hated it when they called him that because David wasn't any of their sires. He was simply the leader they all chose, the one they respected most, even above Max.

Predictably the mullet headed devil sent him a warning stare before he returned his attention to the book in his fingers. Marko let the pigeon fly from his hand and he dropped to the floor, crawling to David's legs and using his lap as a table, propping his elbow against it, fingers curling under his chin.

It took a bit of time but eventually David groused, "What?"

Marko grinned. "I have a new show for you to watch."

He projected the images into all of his brothers' brains, even Star's just to torture the girl a little with some more of her futile worrying. He left Laddie out because the boy was still young and the last thing any of them wanted to do was fuck an eight-year-old up with the sadistic streaks to their nature.

Dwayne was admiring of the way Marko had guided his little torture dream. Paul was laughing and nodding his head. Star was horrified, knowing that now Michael was a Halfling, the time wasn't long for Celia. David was not amused.

"Just why am I in this," he said.

Marko grinned. "Because it's no fun for me if I'm the one molesting a resisting girl." Paul guffawed loudly and even Dwayne grinned and laughed.

"Marko!"

"What, you saw it though, right? She likes your cold aloofness. If you went after her she'd be faster to cave." Marko wheedled him.

"Is this because of Maria," David demanded.

Now it was Marko's turn to look less than amused, shifting in agitation. Maria was something he had been craving since the day she started at Max's video store. Just o tear the life from her, maybe fucking her good before it, or even during her death throes. Feeling the body betray the fastly exiting occupant was a nice high.

However, Max said no, she was 'off limits'. In fact, he had thrown Marko through a cement wall when the little daredevil had been stalking her. David had come to his rescue of not being staked under Max's mottled fury, and Marko had scuttled safely away. Nevertheless, he was still hungering and plotting.

"But David," Marko whined, "Celia wants you more than she wants me."

David looked annoyed. "And yet if it had been you on that damned carousal it would have been you she surrendered to and felt all those things for. I am not amused by this, Marko. Finish the job I gave you. Or admit that you failed me."

He dropped his book to the ground and left his wheelchair after fixing his curly haired brother with a warning glare. He stalked from the cave angrily and left his three brothers alone in the cave looking at each other. Marko pouted as he dropped his arms into the wheelchair seat, rolling it back and fourth.

"Think you really hit the buttons this time man," Paul said unhelpfully.

"No shit," Marko grumbled.

"What is this really about?" Dwayne softly picked up the fallen book and thunked Marko on the head with it before dropping it into the wheelchair.

Marko tsked. "I just… there's something about her, Celia in specific, that ruffles David. I wanna know what it is."

"Sometimes it really is better to let sleeping dogs lie," Dwayne said.

"Yeah," Paul agreed. "Before they chomp your head off."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm too lovable for that." Marko chewed on his nail as he got up. He left the cave and paused at the cliff, staring out at all the vast distances of water and the black sky.

Star got up from her bed and followed him out. Marko turned to glance at her as she stepped up next to him. She was pretty in a waif's sort of way. If David hadn't of brought her in maybe he would have. She was his usual type, dark chocolate hair, and big doe eyes full of fear when she looked at him, small figure. Yes, she would have been delicious and he thought he understood David's frustration with her at not being able to eat her. It was the same thing with him and Maria. Both the brothers' had been dinner-blocked by their sire.

"Marko." She said his name hesitantly and it sounded almost odd coming from her lips. It was then he realized that she never said it anymore and he never said her name aloud either. She was David's pretty much, his property by default in the absence of any stronger tie to bind them.

He felt restless and bored. "What do you want?"

"You can't do this," Star said after a moment. "It isn't right- it isn't fair, Marko."

He grinned. "So what?"

Unaccountably Star exploded on him. "You don't know what it's like! You had a reason to turn, all of you did. But Laddie and I didn't."

Marko turned to face her fully. Of all people to be yelling at, she normally didn't pick him. It was nice to see the anger flash through her eyes.

"Weren't you a starving runaway?" He mocked her with a grin. "You had nothing and without us it would go right back to that. It's us or death now." Marko laughed as her expression fell slightly.

"Being with you all is death anyway," she said in a crestfallen voice. "It's too late for Michael now too. Even then, though, Marko they come from a happy family. Michael was happy, Celia still is happy." She grasped his arm, clinging to the material of his jacket. "Leave her alone. Don't toy with her like this and then take away her humanity."

Marko felt a rush of annoyance boiling inside him. He smacked her palm away and drove her back against the cliff wall roughly. "What I or the others do isn't any of your business _Star_." He spat her name like it was garbage in his mouth and it might as well have been.

"You are weak. We've waited patiently for you to be one of us, to join us, and all you do is snivel and whine about some humans?" he tossed her from him with a snarl, revealing the true beast under that smile of his. Star didn't flinch. "Come talk to me when you actually have something worthwhile to say."

Star remained there and for some reason he didn't leave. They stared at each other long moments, the only sound being the waves under them and the sluggish movement of her heartbeat, slowed down by her half state. A part of him wanted to hurl her over the cliff, to see if a Halfling vampire would drown. Anything to stop that judgmental cold face that reminded him of… no, that was enough!

"Are you sure you aren't so angry about something else Marko?" She taunted him lightly. "Like maybe a mere human getting under your skin? Isn't that why you're trying to throw her to David? You say it's curiosity but it's all about you and your issues."

Marko snarled again and his lips peeled back to show off his sharp teeth. He half lunged for her but then he remembered David. David tolerated her so he had to, too. Marko spun and slammed his fist into the cliff wall, fingers digging doggedly, until he ripped off chunks of the rock in his hand. He broke them like sand, hurled them into the ocean under him.

Star watched it all with deceptive calm, only her heart betraying her. Marko was fed up of even that, of scaring her. Fed up of smashing her with the knowledge if she pushed too far he could kill her when she knew nobody but David would touch her, that only David had a say in her life or death now that Max had lost interest, so he hurled himself angrily to the skies.

Ridiculous. She was absolutely ridiculous!

End chapter

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_**Author note:**_ Okay then, I hope you all liked. And remember this is a MarkoXoc so don't take the David thing to heart... there is another reason for the connection. Mwahaha. Leave me some reviews, okay? I will see you all next time!


	9. Have a Lazy Day

_**Author note:**_ Nothing to say...

_**Disclaimer:** _I own this story but most characters are warner brother property.

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Chapter start

Celia woke back up and rolled to her side. She grunted softly and burrowed under her sheets, content to absorb the comfortable warmth from her cocoon. She had the day off anyway. There wasn't any pressing need to get up out of the bed just yet.

There wasn't at least until she heard Michael rummaging about in the room next to her. He closed his door and she heard his feet padding away down the stairs. Celia fought the curiosity but eventually her eyes did open and she puffed out a breath.

At the very least, she would not get out of her PJ's. She nodded at her sensible decision and threw back the covers, yawning. She wandered her way slowly to the kitchen where Michael was lifting weights in a slow way. Sam joined her and Nanook brushed past her legs to head to his food bowl, empty.

Michael dropped the weights to the ground, which caused Celia to wince at the harsh crashing sound. Sam grabbed an apple and bit into it. When Michael turned around fully she realized she wasn't the only one who found PJ's a great alternative. He was only in a pair of shorts and a robe he left open, sunglasses very out of place in the house.

"Mike," Sam said. "What you do last night? You look wasted."

Michael gave Celia a look before he smiled. "Well I can't remember too much after the Chinese food that looked like _maggots_." Sam put his apple down with a grimace. Celia wandered to the sink to get a glass of water.

Sam leaned against a set of counters. "Hey you guys, do you think Grandpa is an alien?"

Celia smiled and shook her head a little and Michael grinned from his new position in the chair. "We didn't want to tell you until you were eighteen."

Celia laughed as Nanook bee lined for Michael's foot, licking the pads enthusiasticallym ignoring Michael's commands. "Nanook, stop it."

She turned to watch with her head tilted. Something was on the bottom of his foot Nanook liked and she wondered just what Michael had been doing so late at night anyway. She mentally shrugged. Michael could keep his secrets, for now.

"Spill something?" Sam asked after he got down to drag Nanook away.

Michael was twisting his head around lethargically. Celia frowned. Something was up with him. "No, why," he asked lowly.

"You have salt all on the bottom of your feet," she supplied calmly.

He bent down to look. He itched a bit of it off and studied it. Celia felt a sense of unease cross her while they all stared at it. What had Michael been doing?

He sighed slightly. "That was some pretty funky Chinese food." He chuckled a little as he got up and left the room.

Sam called after him, "wanna go to the comic book store?"

"Nope."

Sam frowned a little and then he looked at Celia. She raised a brow and he gave her the pleading puppy look. It was annoying how well he could pull that off. With a tsk, she rolled her eyes and fixed him with a look.

"Go see if Grandpa will let you get a set of keys. Lucy already has the car at work." He rushed off and she called after him, "try and make it the jeep keys!"

With a small huff she went back to her room to change. So much for a lazy day.

She pulled on another summer dress. This time it was red with thin strands of translucent beading that molded the shape of her small breasts, strands falling from under them to her stomach, tinkling together lightly whenever she moved. She strapped on red sandals and brushed her hair out before she parted it down the middle, with a tendril on each side that she braided carefully before clipping them back with a pearl hair clip Sam had given her on her birthday.

She thought she looked good. She smiled at her reflection, pleased. After all, Celia didn't see the point of not looking good every now and then and, if she had to venture from her safe haven today, then she might as well dress up.

Lucy's dad all too happily gave her the keys with the promise of her filling the tank back up with gas and buying him some more root beer. Celia sighed as she climbed into the seat. Her mind filled suddenly with far off memories, of watching through a curtain of golden red curls the world outside the truck spinning and turning before it slid to a stop upside down.

Celia shook them away and waited for Sam to buckle up before she drove them to the boardwalk. They spent the day there, Celia doing a little shopping, and Sam running around happily. She took him to the comic book store and poked some fun at Edgar and Allan, biting her lip to keep from laughing her butt off at the ideas they harped about. She bought Sam a new comic and treated him and his little weirdo friends to sundaes.

They were harmless after all and they sure did give her a good laugh. Connor ended up spotting them and joined the little group for a while. Soon he had even the Frog brothers looking a little less foreboding and more like kids their age.

When night fell, he left after hugging Celia, before darting off to work. The Frog brother's invited them to see their home and she waved Sam along.

"You shouldn't be out here alone," Edgar insisted. He was thinking of the fact her neck was nice and exposed to any bloodsucker that would pass and she was too ignorant to see one.

Before Celia could comment dryly, another voice invaded the atmosphere. "And why shouldn't she be alone?"

Celia stiffened when she heard it and registered it, recognized it. Her hazel eyes were wide when she decided not to turn around. She was a bad blusher. And currently the heat was pooling into her cheeks, her heart starting an uneasy rhythm of excited expectation.

"Go with them Sam. I'll be fine," she added when he hesitated. "This is a… friend of mine."

She hesitated over that word, it coming strangely to her lips and making her almost shy about using it. David smirked at the small group of boys over her shoulder. The kid, Sam, was very protective of the girl it seemed. He had a scowl on his face as he looked between the two of them. After a split look of exasperation and thin amusement on her face, Sam did leave, turning to look back and dragging his steps, suspicion and worry clear to David even when he was far away.

"Aren't you even going to look at me?"

No, her mind supplied but her inner self groaned. Slowly and almost sulking she did turn to look at him and wished she had not. Faded remembrance of that dream attacked her and made her blush even worse.

David was smirking down at her as if he knew. She crossed her arms in near defiance. "What do you want?"

David took the time to light a cigarette. He offered one to her but she shook her head. What did he want? Well, a lot of things, really.

He wanted Max to leave them alone. He wanted to be allowed to do what he wanted. He wanted Marko to be allowed to eat the annoying clerk at Max's store so his brother would stop pouting about it. He wanted his brother's to be happy in their undead lives. What he wanted in specific to Celia was harder to pin down. He wanted to satisfy the curiosity he had but even then it went further than that and it annoyed David that he did not know.

Celia waited expectantly, mostly ignoring the crowds floating around them seamlessly without disturbing them. There was a distinct lack of being jostled when she was with one of the boys. She noticed the looks on some girls faces as they passed, first looking with longing at David and then rampant annoyance and even hate to Celia. She crossed her arms at it and wondered what was so great about him. So far, he was coming off lackluster in her eyes. It had been a simple question!

Okay, that was a lie. David didn't have to be talking or moving to be anything. Even just standing there, smoking casually, there was a different air around him that nobody else could have, Celia felt. It was three parts intimidating one part alluring. A raw charisma that promised danger if someone came closer than he wanted and yet at the same time promised a terrific time if he didn't murder you.

Her mouth was dry now. Great.

"You aren't wearing that jacket of yours."

Celia nodded. Kyle's jacket was hanging in the closet. When she had gotten dressed, she had fingered it with the intent to put it on. A last minute decision had left it there and Celia regretted it. She felt vulnerable without it in David's presence, almost naked under his eyes.

David smirked as he blew out a cloud of smoke. This here was the soft little girl, the one who was too kind and 'generous natured' as Max put it. The one who had love on the brain like it was going out of style and she was stock hoarding it. She amused him, made him want to shatter her peaceful image. Marko felt the same, and was not yet aware of just how much deeper his preoccupation with Celia was. David and Dwayne recognized it, because they were just as preoccupied with each other.

David had seen the sleeping wild cat under these outer layers though and had found them appealing, familiar. Even though he was still annoyed about Marko toying with his image for his amusement the idea of Celia fighting him, even biting him, was an interesting thought. He had to wonder if she would fight as hard in real life against one of them.

It still didn't explain what he was doing in front of her now though. David blew another cloud of smoke and Celia watched it curl into the air. She sent him a sidelong look, accepting she was not going to get an answer.

"Those'll kill you, you know." She said it more to fill the space rather than from concern.

He raised a brow at her. "Worried?"

She flushed and snapped "No!"

David laughed mirthlessly. His hand wrapped around her arm tightly. "Let's go."

Celia ignored the jolt his touch sent running along her skin, familiarity sending barbs into her subconscious. She refused to move her feet. David didn't tug her as Marko or Paul would have done. He just looked at her with a thin line of amusement in his eyes.

"Go where," she demanded. Then she nagged him. "You can't just pop up and drag people with you whenever you feel like it. You've spoken to me a handful of times and even then you were totally rude!"

Deliberately he glanced down her body slower than a caress, his eyes pausing at key points. He lingered most at the pale veins he could see under the translucent skin, made paler by the red of the dress. He grabbed one of the trailing beads and slid it through his finger until he was poised at its root, the back of his gloved fingers brushing the underside of her breast.

He felt the quick intake of breath and heard her heart stutter once and then speed. Nevertheless, her eyes remained demanding and turned wary all at once. He smirked at her.

"This dress shouldn't be wasted," he murmured. "Come with me."

David could be soft when he wanted to be. He could be alluring without effort. It was a talent he had used often in his human life. Over the long decades, he had refined it to its point, sharpening it on the vapid, giggling girls that were always ready for luring, to be tricked by him and the aura he commanded.

Celia was not a vapid, giggling girl. She was curious though. Therefore, when he felt the resistance drain from her body he let her arm slip his grasp and instead dropped it to the small of her back, urging her to walk. She let him lead her to his motorcycle.

He climbed on and offered his hand. An image of him doing the same with Star flashed through her brain, the way he had been coldly indifferent to her and the nonchalance he had held her arm with. However, the girl was a good kick to Celia's brain.

The far ago warning flashed. David and his boys were 'dangerous'. Celia could guess that David was the leader so that meant he was the most dangerous. She tried to dissect it quickly. Marko had never really been overly wild and Paul, while insane, had never seemed to be dangerous. Celia thought David could be if he wanted. Her senses told her they could all be very dangerous if they wanted. However, they weren't being dangerous or threatening towards her.

_Yet_, her inner voice butted in.

There doesn't always have to be a yet, she thought firmly. Determined to not be intimidated she placed her hand boldly in his, letting him close his fingers around it. The leather was warm and soft against her skin. She expected him to be as nonchalant as she'd seen with Star but he turned in his seat to watch her toss her leg over the bike. He even held her steady while she tucked the dress under her legs so it wouldn't blow around, releasing her only when she pulled her arm away and wrapped it and its partner around his waist.

She must have remembered the way he and his boys rode because she wrapped them tightly. David smirked as he kick started the bike and revved it. He was taking her back to the cave. First though he had to feed her something.

He stopped his bike next to three others. Celia recognized Marko's and her eyes glanced around for the trickster. David got off first and, instead of letting her climb off, bent down to grab her around her waist and lifted her up. Instinctively Celia threw her hands around his shoulders and clasped them around his neck, eyes widening when she felt the soft texture of his hair teasing her fingertips. David held onto her after he dropped her feet to the ground and he cocked a brow.

Realizing what she was doing Celia blushed and ripped her hands away, causing him to chuckle again as he led her across the street. He opened the door for her and Celia walked in blindly, still embarrassed over practically petting a person she barely knew.

While David went to speak with someone she forced herself to look around, needing a distraction and coming up short, belatedly realizing he had brought her to a restaurant. Celia flushed to think of how nice it was.

The lighting was low and, to her romantically inclined heart, personable. Soft music was gently wafting through the air; the chairs were all made of polished ok, heavy and elegant. In fact, the whole place had a rustic feel, as though it was somewhere deep in the woods, away from the noisy atmosphere of the boardwalk and even Santa Carla.

Before she could think about it much or protest David collected her again and the two followed a waiter. He led them to the smoking section, of course, and there Celia had a surprise and a wealth of relief. She had been worried they would be here alone, worried for herself and David's wallet.

"There he is!" Three voices rose up and Paul, Marko, and even Dwayne clapped enthusiastically, not caring one bit who they bothered.

"And he brought my sweetie-pie!" Paul got up and rushed her. David stepped away and let the blond rocker lift her up and spin her wildly. Celia couldn't help but laugh and hug Paul back.

Star and Laddie were there too. Laddie got up and came to give her a hug too and he even squirmed between her and Paul to do it.

Paul pouted. "The squirts stealing my game!"

Marko laughed. "I'd be more worried about the fact he can beat your game!"

As both David and Dwayne laughed, Paul turned and growled at Marko, who was grinning angelically back. Laddie wrapped himself in Celia's arms and burrowed his head into her stomach.

"Laddie sit back down," David said and the boy grabbed her tightly on the hand and led her to his spot next to Star. Star scooted over in the booth and Celia found herself between the girl and kid.

David looked highly amused at it. However, he didn't comment and neither did the other boys. Instead, they all lapsed into being the generally noisy bunch they were when they were all together. It was full of insults and shoves on all their parts and Celia tried to ignore the way near by customers glared at the table. At least the booth was comfortable.

She was acutely aware that none of them looked like they belonged here. Not even her or Star. Her outfit was casual summer wear, not fine dining. And Star had put on a slightly more colored skirt but that was all. At the least, they looked less conspicuous than the leather and black clad boys did.

Her smile turned a little rueful. She had no clue how she ended up with such a rambunctious and definitely rude bunch. They weren't like any of the friends she had left behind. There had been seductive Marissa, coolly confident on her worst days, loquacious on her best. Then there was sweetie Anna, a bit of a follower but with no lack of loyalty to all her close friends. It dawned on her she hadn't spoken to them in…

Celia frowned. Surely, she had called them once since arriving in Santa Carla. Racking her brain did not help. She called Kyle but even that had fallen short the past week. She had been there a month now and she'd talked to him maybe twice a week, the past week not once.

Something sharp rapped her on the head. She flinched and rubbed it, glaring at Marko who was twirling a spoon. He really was a mean thing!

"What was that for," she demanded.

He grinned and shrugged. "You were far away. It's just mean to not pay attention to us when we haven't seen you in so long!"

"Says the guy who beat me up with silverware," she grumbled.

After that, she shook off her feelings and focused on the group. Star was relatively quiet but Laddie chattered her ear off and the boys were all frankly indulgent of the little tyke's enthusiasm for things. It was as if he hadn't been taken out to eat in awhile and was like a puppy getting a treat. Celia wouldn't know that the boys mostly left Laddie to Star and the gypsy girl didn't think of food and keeping the boy entertained with living people.

Marko ordered for her when she shrugged. Celia was not a fussy eater. In fact, she would eat most anything except mushrooms, and beets, and, sweet potatoes. There was nothing nastier to her than a mushy sweet potato. The other things she had just had a dislike for since childhood.

Despite the weirdness of the whole thing, the dinner was enjoyable. Marko and Paul were horrible together and it had been somewhat amusing to watch Paul shamelessly flirt with someone's daughter until the family left.

He grinned proudly though. When the girl had passed, she had dropped a napkin with her phone number discreetly on the table.

He held it up triumphantly. "Nobody can resist this sexy charm!"

"Celia did," Dwayne pointed out with a smile. Paul glanced at him then at her. She grinned and shrugged.

"That's cause me and her are much better as siblings," Paul said in recovery.

Her brows rose. This was the first she was hearing of this. "I never knew my mother slept with an insane guy and had you," she commented dryly.

"Ow, now that stings. I'm not insane," Paul protested. "I'm unique."

"No, Marko is unique. Just look at that jacket," she said. "You though… you're something else."

"Something awesome," he replied.

"Something insane," she retorted.

"Something insanely awesome," he shot right back playfully.

"Something insanely annoying," Marko broke in. They all laughed except Star and Paul. Star was looking more and more worried as time passed and Paul was now pouting.

When the waiter came by with the bill David was the one who pulled out a roll of bills. He paid for everyone and the boys especially had eaten a lot. They all wandered outside and Celia didn't protest when Marko skipped up next to her and took her hand.

David looked them all over. "Let's go home boys."

Marko smirked as he tugged Celia to his bike. She went even though she knew he would speed. She just had to swallow and believe he was a good enough biker to not kill her in a fiery crash.

"Remember this is a no puke zone," he said playfully and she grimaced.

"I'll keep that in mind," she mumbled and wrapped her arms around his lower stomach. Marko decided to tease her while he waited for the others to get ready. Star was stalling; she knew what was coming if Celia entered the cave.

"Why don't you lower your hands," he asked.

She was confused but she complied until he chuckled and she realized where she was getting dangerously close to. Her hands shot up to his chest again. "Marko!"

"What," he asked innocently. "It's fun on a bike!"

"You ride recklessly enough without adding a distraction," she complained at him.

"So if I kept it parked could we try it out," he asked, turning to tug some of her hair and twirl it around his finger. It was soft and he couldn't help but move his hand to his mouth, biting the finger wrapped in her hair as he kept his face a mask of impish delight.

Even though there was something incredibly erotic about him chewing her hair, she still smacked him lightly. "Marko," she groaned.

"It's going to happen eventually you know." Marko sounded so sure of himself. Celia groaned but she didn't comment on the reasons it never could happen.

She contented herself with saying, "it'll sure as heck never happen on a motorcycle, parked or otherwise."

"Turned down cold, man." Paul laughed next to them.

David smirked at them. He had finally gotten Star behind him, Laddie behind Dwayne. Marko was very wrong about his motivations for Celia. David did not want to sleep with her or do anything else for the moment but get her turned, confusing feelings aside. However, Marko… David chuckled a little.

"Let's go."

End chapter

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_**Author note:**_ Oh no, will Celia drink the blood wine? Who knows? Wait, I do. But you all will have to wait to find out if Celia will fall in line. Leave a few reviews to inspire me to update, okay? See you next time!


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